In the 26th April 2014 edition of Media Indonesia, a leading daily newspaper, Trilogi University Rector Dr Ir. Asep Saefuddin discussed in great detail the current state of education in Indonesia and the issues that continue to hamper its advancement. Featured in the newspaper’s opinion section, the article at its core emphasised the need to separate education from politics and pointed to the country’s present inability to forego short term objectives in favour of taking a serious, more long term minded approach to improving upon education quality as a major roadblock to progress.

In his opinion piece, Dr Saefuddin explains that an ideal education system would allow students to attend all levels of schooling from kindergarten to university without having to pay tuition fees, and that implementing this type of initiative would benefit the public by ensuring that socioeconomic status does not act as an impediment to talent being realized. Trilogi University’s Rector goes on to touch upon the problems that have in the past brought discourse on this topic to a halt, namely Indonesia’s tendency to become enamored in ‘political rhythms’ that influence decision makers at the ministerial level to too often enact changes in basic education policy that only serve to muddle and complicate a more concerted drive towards bringing about real reform. As is described in the featured article, the most frustrating aspect of this stasis in educational reform is that those who stand to lose the most are the students, and without a complete re-think in the way Indonesia approaches education, these children and young adults are likely to perpetuate an attitude towards learning and the pursuit of knowledge that has long proven to be detrimental.

Dr Saefuddin concludes his comprehensive take on Indonesia’s education sector with the assertion that in spite of the negative impact of an overly politicized approach to education, the government still has a substantial role to play. Reform cannot be carried out by private instiutions alone, as they require the support of a more long-term oriented regulatory framework that can only be put in place by the state. In sharing these views, Dr Saefuddin hopes to engage the public when it comes to pushing for progress in education as well as to consolidate Trilogi University’s growing reputation as an influential voice in the sector. In addition to an article in Media Indonesia, Dr Saefuddin also recently contributed to the Radar Bogor newspaper on the topic of improving upon the quality of teaching in Indonesia.