Indonesia raises four educational, cultural priorities during G20 presidency

Jakarta, February 10 (ANTARA) - Indonesia will raise four educational and cultural priorities during its G20 presidency, an Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry official said. "During Indonesia's G20 presidency, the Education, Culture, Research and Technology Ministry will lead the G20 education working group," the ministry's director general of teachers and educational workers, Iwan Syahril, said during the Kick Off of the G20 on Education and Culture, monitored in Jakarta on Wednesday. Under Italy's presidency last year, the G20 discussed the issue of inadequate learning and unequal access to education during the COVID-9 pandemic, he said. Indonesia opined that the initiative taken during Italy's G20 presidency last year must be strengthened to restore access to education and make classrooms better than before the pandemic, he said. G20 member states must work hand in hand to address unequal access to education in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. There will be four educational issues to be discussed during Indonesia's G20 presidency, including universal quality education, Syahril said. "This issue is raised to respond to a challenge to equal access to education in all levels, particularly vulnerable groups in order to recover from COVID-19. This issue is also a manifestation of Indonesia's commitment to realize quality educational access for all, in accordance with the fourth SDGs,” he noted. The second issue is digital technologies in education. Indonesia is looking forward to discussing in details how digital technology offers a solution to equal access and social justice in the educational sector, he said. The third issue is solidarity and partnership. This issue is related to the Indonesian nation's wisdom, particularly in encouraging mutual help. "We will offer the Indonesian nation's wisdom, as part of the effort to re-imagine the future. We believe that only through cooperation and mutual support could we solve a myriad of global issues,” Syahril said. The fourth issue is the post-COVID-9 future of work. The ministry noted that post-COVID-19 job needs will change, so that the world needs to make changes, particularly how education can answer the global challenge in the future, he said. The ministry urged all stakeholders to collaborate and strengthen each other. Indonesia will show that a culture of culture mutual assistance will inspire the world to recover together and build a better future.