Indonesia's 2022 Literacy Score Drops; Govt to Distribute Over 4mn Textbooks

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Agency for Language Development and Cultivation at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology is intensifying the printing and distribution of supplementary textbooks to various regions in Indonesia. The books were printed by PT Macananjaya Cemerlang and distributed by PT Cabe Raya Nusantara Express.

According to the ministry's official website cited on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, Head of the Language and Literature Development Center, Abdul Khak, said that the distribution of the supplementary textbooks was based on the results of a national review and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) Survey in 2022. Indonesia's International reading literacy score dropped by 12 points.

"Not all regions have good access to the internet which allows (students) to read books online," he said. With differing geographical conditions, he said, the Language Agency tries to send books to all education units in Indonesia.

According to Khak, the Language Agency has created a free digital version of the books accessible on budi.kemdikbud.go.id page. Some books are even designed in audio versions. "So that children with special needs can enjoy these literacy supplementary textbooks," he said.

The President Director of PT Macananjaya Cemerlang, Andika Tri Anggono Yatti, said that the first package of printed  textbooks would be sent to several provinces,  namely Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java and Yogyakarta.

"A total of 4,679,400 copies of books have been printed," he said. "We hope that PT Cabe Raya can deliver the books safely and precisely to the designated locations."

The Director of PT Cabe Raya, Ika Puspitasari, ensured that her company would send the books to destinations on time. The cargo delivery company will deploy four fleets to distribute the supplementary textbooks. "We will deliver the books to the islands of Java, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara and Bali," concluded Ika.

YOHANES PASKALIS

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