Education for All: A Systematic Analysis of Equity Policies and Challenges in Indonesia

R Madhakomala; Putri Puspita Ayu; Tika Septiani; Parulian Halomoan Butarbutar

doi:10.55227/ijhess.v4i4.1453

Authors

R Madhakomala UNIVERSITAS NEGERI JAKARTA
Putri Puspita Ayu UNIVERSITAS NEGERI JAKARTA
Tika Septiani UNIVERSITAS NEGERI JAKARTA
Parulian Halomoan Butarbutar UNIVERSITAS NEGERI JAKARTA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55227/ijhess.v4i4.1453

Keywords:

Educational Justice, Education Quality, Educational Relevance, Educational Opportunities, Educational Equity

Abstract

This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) explores the impact of educational policies and interventions on improving access, quality, relevance, equity, and educational opportunities in Indonesia. A total of 30 articles were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach to identify trends, challenges, and opportunities for achieving inclusive and equitable education. The findings reveal significant disparities in access and quality between urban and rural areas, with key obstacles including limited infrastructure, low digital literacy in remote regions, and uneven quality of teaching. In urban areas, schools benefit from better facilities, professional training for teachers, and more access to technology, whereas rural areas face substantial gaps in these resources. Affirmative policies, such as the Smart Indonesia Program and education digitalization initiatives, have demonstrated positive impacts in expanding access to education, though their implementation is still hindered by inadequate infrastructure and limited teacher training in remote areas. Additionally, the national curriculum is often found to be less relevant to local needs, particularly for indigenous populations and students with disabilities, highlighting the need for more localized and context-specific approaches. The study concludes that addressing educational inequity in Indonesia requires evidence-based policies that integrate local needs, multidisciplinary approaches, and contextual solutions. Recommendations include improving educational infrastructure in remote areas, revising curricula to better reflect local contexts, and conducting longitudinal studies to assess the long-term impacts of educational policies. The expansion of inclusive education policies and better teacher training, coupled with the strategic use of technology, are essential steps toward narrowing the educational gap and ensuring a more equitable future for all students in Indonesia.

References

Abacioglu, C. S., Fischer, A. H., & Volman, M. (2022). Professional development in multicultural education: What can we learn from the Australian context? Teaching and Teacher Education, 114, 103701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103701

Alajmi, M. (2024). Promoting equity and equality in student learning: principals as social justice leaders in Kuwaiti schools. International Journal of Educational Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-12-2023-0651

Berkovich, I. (2014). A socio-ecological framework of social justice leadership in education. Journal of Educational Administration, 52(3), 282–309. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-12-2012-0131

Cananau, I., Edling, S., & Haglund, B. (2025). Critical thinking in preparation for student teachers' professional practice: A case study of critical thinking conceptions in policy documents framing teaching placement at a Swedish university. Teaching and Teacher Education, 153(August 2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104816

Diaz, L., Trees, F. P., Reed, D., Kick, R., & Kuemmel, A. (2017). Social Justice and Equity in CS Education. 653–654. https://doi.org/10.1145/3017680.3017693

Enchikova, E., Neves, T., Toledo, C., & Nata, G. (2024). Change in socioeconomic educational equity after 20 years of PISA: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 7(May), 100359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedro.2024.100359

Frola, A., Delprato, M., & Chudgar, A. (2024). Lack of educational access, women's empowerment and spatial education inequality for the Eastern and Western Africa regions. International Journal of Educational Development, 104(September 2023), 102939. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2023.102939

Merma-Molina, G., Urrea-Solano, M., González-Víllora, S., & Baena-Morales, S. (2023). Future physical education teachers' perceptions of sustainability. Teaching and Teacher Education, 132(August 2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2023.104254

Meyer, M. W., & Norman, D. (2020). Changing Design Education for the 21st Century. She Ji, 6(1), 13–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sheji.2019.12.002

Mifsud, D. (2024a). Problematizing equity in educational policy: An application of bacchi's post-structural analytical approach. Schooling for Social Justice, Equity and Inclusion: Problematizing Theory, Policy and Practice, 63–93. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83549-758-620241003

Mifsud, D. (2024b). Schooling and educational leadership as the main protagonists in the social justice script? Unveiling the social justice discourses from an actor-network theory lens. Schooling for Social Justice, Equity and Inclusion: Problematizing Theory, Policy and Practice, 27–61. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83549-758-620241002

Ming Tam, W., & Cheong Cheng, Y. (1996). Staff development for school education quality: implications of multimodels. Training for Quality, 4(4), 16–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/09684879610367222

Ossiannilsson, E. (2023). Open educational resources (OER) and some of the United Nations sustainable development goals. International Journal of Information and Learning Technology, 40(5), 548–561. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJILT-01-2023-0002

Silva, P., Slater, C. L., Lopez Gorosave, G., Cerdas, V., Torres, N., Antunez, S., & Briceno, F. (2017). Educational leadership for social justice in Costa Rica, Mexico, and Spain. Journal of Educational Administration, 55(3), 316–333 https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-03-2016-0033

Sridevi, K. B. (2021). Filling the quality gaps for a futuristic management education. Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, 37(4), 393–400. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEAS-09-2018-0097

Stoilova, R., & Ilieva-Trichkova, P. (2023). Fairness of educational opportunities and income distribution: gender-sensitive analysis in a European comparative perspective. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 43(1–2), 272–291. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSSP-02-2022-0065

Yuan, L., Fang, F., & Hu, G. (2024). Are students prepared and supported for English medium instruction in Chinese higher education to promote educational equality? System, 125(May), 103423. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2024.103423

Zhao, X., Wider, W., Jiang, L., Fauzi, M. A., Tanucan, J. C. M., Lin, J., & Udang, L. N. (2024). Transforming higher education institutions through EDI leadership: A bibliometric exploration. Heliyon, 10(4), e26241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26241