🧠 Food for thought

Implications, context, and why it matters.

Coding and AI are elective under current rules; the minister’s remark is not yet reflected in regulation

• The minister’s claim that coding and AI “will become mandatory” goes beyond current regulation. Permendikdasmen 13/2025 (a ministerial regulation governing the school curriculum) lists these subjects as optional (pilihan), not mandatory (wajib), and lets schools without adequate facilities opt out 1.
• Schools can add coding and AI through co-curricular or extracurricular activities before moving them into the formal curriculum 2. The regulation gives schools flexibility to roll out based on readiness, including teacher availability and infrastructure 3.
• In 3T regions (terdepan-terluar-tertinggal, frontier/outermost/underdeveloped) schools have an extended timeline through 2026/2027 to move to Kurikulum Merdeka (the current national curriculum) 3. Coding and AI roll out by readiness, with unplugged options like offline games for schools without devices 4.

EdTech vendors should target teacher training and device-independent solutions first

• The 808,000 Pendidikan Profesi Guru (PPG, teacher professional education) quota expands the pool for upskilling. Rekognisi Pembelajaran Lampau (RPL, recognition of prior learning) widens access and creates near-term demand for training in coding or AI pedagogy.
• Infrastructure gaps open room for curriculum that works offline first. Schools without tablets or laptops can use unplugged methods like Lego-based activities, while those with basic connectivity can use low-bandwidth platforms 4.
• Content providers should focus on computational thinking frameworks (the problem-solving approach behind programming) aligned with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) standards 4. The curriculum stresses logical reasoning over specific programming tools.