August 8, 2026 | 12:08 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has ordered an overhaul of school textbooks from elementary to high school, asking officials to compare their quality with textbooks used in neighboring countries.
State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya were tasked with leading the comparison as the government seeks to improve both the content and physical quality of textbooks.
“The main point is that we want to improve the quality of textbooks for all our students, from elementary, junior high and senior high school,” Prasetyo said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday, August 7, 2026.
Comparing Textbooks Across Southeast Asia
Prasetyo said the government had obtained textbooks from Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Timor-Leste, Cambodia and Vietnam for comparison. Teddy specifically ordered the books from abroad.
The government has also formed an interministerial team to assess the textbooks and recommend improvements. The team includes officials from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, and the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).
“This is to follow up on the President’s instructions,” Prasetyo said.
Focus on Science, Math and Nationalism
Teddy said Prabowo had identified several subjects that needed stronger and more relevant material, including national identity and nationalism, science and technology, mathematics, and foreign-language skills.
The president also wants improvements to the physical quality of textbooks, including more attractive designs, larger and more readable fonts, and more durable materials.
Teddy said Prabowo's interest in improving textbooks grew after visits to several schools, where he personally inspected students' books.
“When checking the textbooks, he looked at them one by one. He saw that some were made from materials that were easily damaged, while others were already damaged. The writing was also very small, so elementary school students had to read very closely,” Teddy said.
Textbooks to Go Digital
The condition prompted Prabowo to order a review of textbooks used across Indonesia, from elementary to high school.
Teddy said the improved textbooks could eventually be made available through interactive flat panels, or smart screens, that the government is distributing to schools.
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