Jakarta. The National Development Planning Ministry, also known as Bappenas, recently launched the 2030 Early Childhood Development Index for the year 2024 in partnership with the philanthropic organization Tanoto Foundation.

The report aligns with Indonesia's 2025-2029 national medium-term development plan. It is also in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 on ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all ages. As well as SDG 4 on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.

According to National Development Planning Deputy Minister Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard, Indonesia must take advantage of its demographic dividend by investing more in its human capital. 

"If we want to achieve the 'Golden Indonesia' vision, we must fulfill the essential needs of children starting from an early age. This includes their educational, health, and care needs. Ninety percent of the brain develops by the age of five, hence, that's why they are called the golden years," Febrian said.

He added: "Children should not only be equipped with technical skills, but we also have to pay attention to the kids' character and spiritual aspects. Thinking skills that are not based on good character and strong spirituality will only generate people who are akin to artificial intelligence."

Aside from Tanoto Foundation, Bappenas also partners with the Education Ministry, Family Planning Board (BKKBN), the Central Statistics Agency, and the UNICEF to conduct a survey. The survey took place from December 2023 to May 2024 and aimed to make sure that the current policies were responsive to children's growth and development. The survey also sought to enable Indonesia to develop its human capital, which can pave the way for an inclusive economic growth.

Early childhood education is also as important as it is related to the development of a child's sensory, cognitive, and language abilities, according to Febrian.

The 2024 ECDI report revealed that 87.7 percent of Indonesian kids aged 24-59 months had grown according to the developmental stages of learning, health, and psychosocial.

Febrian said that he hoped the report could be a key instrument in formulating data-based policies to ensure that every Indonesian child has the right to optimal growth and development. To this end, the deputy minister called for a strong collaboration between the central and sub-national governments, development partners, experts, academia, and the community.

"Let us work together and commit to building a solid foundation for future generations so we can unlock a golden era by 2045," Febrian said.