Jakarta. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti highlighted a worrying trend: many Indonesian children struggle to read analog clocks, reflecting broader challenges in numeracy skills.

“Some of our children cannot read analog clocks. They can read digital clocks because the numbers are visible, but when it comes to analog clocks with short and long hands, not all of them can read the time,” Mu’ti said during the launch of the National Numeracy Movement (Gerakan Numerasi Nasional, GNN) at Meruya Selatan 04 Pagi Public Elementary School in West Jakarta on Tuesday.

Mu’ti explained that reading analog clocks provides students with a practical way to learn math concepts such as numbers and angles. “From analog clocks, children don’t just recognize the numbers or the time, but also the angles,” he said.

The minister urged schools and parents to reinforce numeracy skills at home and in daily life. He said children should be able to perform basic multiplication without relying on calculators. “We shouldn’t see children needing a calculator to answer four times four equals 16,” Mu’ti said.

The launch of the GNN includes initiatives to make learning numeracy fun and accessible. Mu’ti stressed that the campaign should go beyond ceremonial events to promote a national culture of numeracy, aimed at developing strong and capable future generations.

Nunuk Suryani, Director General of Teachers and Education Personnel at the Ministry, added that the movement also includes the inauguration of Numeracy Parks at 140 schools across 16 provinces and 13 villages, spanning elementary, middle, and high schools.

The program incorporates a variety of activities, including thematic podcasts, teacher training sessions, and guidebooks for parents. “This movement is not just urban-based but also reaches villages, ensuring a nationwide rollout,” Nunuk said.

Indonesia’s education targets under the 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan aim for a PISA score of 409 in reading and 419 in mathematics. According to the OECD's PISA 2022 results, Indonesia's 15-year-old students scored below the OECD average in all three assessed subjects: mathematics, reading, and science. In mathematics, Indonesian students averaged 366 points, compared to the OECD average of 472 points. In reading, the average score was 359 points, while the OECD average was 476 points. For science, Indonesian students scored an average of 383 points, whereas the OECD average was 485 points

The government has allocated 20 percent of the national budget (around Rp 757.8 trillion in 2026) to education, including Rp 178.7 trillion for teacher salaries, professional development, and benefits, and Rp 150.1 trillion for school infrastructure, including renovations for 13,800 schools and 1,400 Islamic schools, as well as 288,000 smart screens for classrooms nationwide.

Mu’ti concluded that numeracy education is not limited to schools but must also be practiced at home. “Parents should also help children develop numeracy habits. Learning is not confined to the classroom; it can be done at home as well,” he said.

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