What will you do if you get the opportunity to live
on this earth for about 100 years? Well, 100 years sounds so far, but no matter
what the future is going to be, we deserve to have a vision about it. Because
dream matters. It also goes the same with Indonesia, our
beloved nation.
This year in 2021, Indonesia is turning 76 years
old. It has 24 years more to be a century of an independent nation in
2045. But since 6 years ago in 2015, Indonesia has created visions for 2045
that are called Indonesia Emas 2045. In order to achieve it, Indonesia has to
reach about 5% annual economic growth on average. Indonesia needs a high
quality of human resources for it and education is the key.
Like a dreamer should be, we also have to think
of Indonesia Emas 2045 in a realistic way. No matter how great the vision is,
we must overcome the challenge that happens at present. We know that now in
2021, Indonesia is still struggling to overcome Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 pandemic really
affects the education system in Indonesia.
Huge transition from offline school to online
school needs huge adaptation for every student, teacher, student’s family, and
obviously the government. The whole nation must overcome it together. Yes
together, but in different conditions. For some people, online school is not a big
problem, but for others that UNICEF stated in December last year, there were
938 Indonesian children dropped out of school and 75% of them couldn’t
continue their education.
That was so sad.
Those children dropped out of school mostly
because their parents were economically impacted during Covid-19 pandemic. That
was even sadder knowing that they had to work to help their family’s economic
condition and others had to get married early. It is going to be so bad if
Indonesian children lose their study spirit because of the situation. It cannot
only affect their self-quality, but also the quality of Indonesian human
resources in the future. Covid-19 pandemic is truly a challenge to achieve
Indonesia Emas 2045.
Education is right for everyone. With education,
someone can get a chance to improve their self-capacity. With better
self-capacity, someone can have a proper job and improve their economic
condition. Even on a national scale, with better self-capacity and economic
condition, someone can be a good human resource that supports national economic
growth like the vision of Indonesia Emas 2045.
But having family, friends, and surroundings
that support someone to get proper education is such a big privilege. I
understand for people that more tend to make money instead of studying for
hours in front of the gadget. It makes sense because this pandemic really
forces those people to survive in a hard way and make them prioritize saving
their economic condition first to stay alive. But I
feel so sad to know people let their children stop going to study when education is basically
for the sake of
children’s own good. I totally disagree with stereotype
in Indonesian society that studying is not important. Ironically, this
stereotype is getting worse during this Covid-19 pandemic.
This stereotype shouldn’t continue in the next generation especially if we want
to achieve Indonesia Emas 2045.
It is exactly not just some people's challenge, but also national challenge that is supposed to be
solved by Indonesian as a whole. Well it’s not instant.
It needs process and it simply can be started from ourselves, especially from
youth who will potentially take the role of Indonesian leaders in 2045.
So what exactly can we do?
Look. Look at our close surroundings. Who needs
help in studying? It may be neighbors, friends, family, siblings, or even our
own self. We can help them in various ways. If you can teach, teach
them. If you can donate, donate books, stationeries, or other studying stuff
for them. If you have a group of people with the same
goal in education, gather some ideas to help them get proper education. Or if
you are the one who needs help in studying, don’t give up! Seek for
information, find partner, tutor, or anything that may help you. Surround
yourself with people that support you to improve your self-capacity. Because
having high self-capacity is not only for your own good, but also for your
family, society, even for Indonesia as a nation.
At
the end, you don’t have to wait for getting the opportunity to live
for 100 years to contribute to the nation, Indonesia. You
can always start from your dream today, your dream matters.
So good luck for anything good that we are struggling for. Indonesia Emas 2045
is waiting for us in the future to make it come true.
Thank
you.
