Jakarta. A number of studies on the brain show that the key foundation of human life no longer lies in the elementary school years. Instead, the early years of life --ages 1 to 5 -- are now seen as a vital phase in human development. Therefore, an ideal early childhood education ecosystem must be pursued as optimally as possible, supported by all stakeholders.

Professor Fasli Jalal, Chair of Early Childhood Education and Development and Rector of YARSI University, explained that over the past 30 years of research, human brain development has been clearly mapped.

These studies show that human development is determined by brain readiness, which begins as early as the fourth week of pregnancy.

"During this process, neurons are formed at a rate of 250,000 cells per second," Fasli explained.

"If there are disruptions to the mother or her environment, this number may drop to just 70–80 percent. If brain development is strong and supported by good nutrition and a healthy ecosystem, the child can be born with 100 billion brain cells. That’s an extraordinary potential," he added.

The optimal brain development process occurs within the first 1,000 days after birth. However, a child's overall development also depends on various supports, including nutrition, healthcare, parenting, education, and protection from violence.

"Hopefully, the 73 million families in Indonesia can understand this," said Fasli.

During this phase, children's needs must be fulfilled holistically. Equally important, early childhood should not only receive nutrition for physical growth, but also be provided with stimulation and interaction that encourage motor, cognitive, language, and socio-emotional development.

Fasli highlighted studies showing that a child who consistently receives stimulation from parents, even with limited nutritious food intake, can still grow normally  -- a situation often found in families living in poverty.

"Despite limited resources, if parents understand the principles of stimulation, a child's intelligence can still flourish, even if they have low birth weight or experience stunting," said Fasli, who also served as Head of the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) from 2013 to 2015.

Many parents are still unaware of the principles of stimulation for young children. In fact, stimulation should begin in the womb as the baby's senses start to form—for example, by speaking to the baby to stimulate hearing.

After birth, visual and tactile senses can be stimulated by introducing colors and shapes. Children can also be introduced to various foods to train their sense of taste.

Referring to one study, Fasli explained that the number of words a child knows -- ranging from 3,000 to 30,000 -- depends on how often parents talk to their children.

“A child’s brain is like a sponge. A real sponge can absorb a whole bucket of water, while a fake one overflows with just a glass. If nutrition, education, protection, and learning stimulation are in place, the child’s brain can thrive. There is no such thing as ‘enough’ stimulation for a child,” he added.

Ideal Early Childhood Education Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive
The principles of stimulation are the foundation of early childhood education (ECE) and part of fulfilling children’s rights.

Fitriana Herarti, ECED Ecosystem Development Lead at the Tanoto Foundation, emphasized that fulfilling children's rights, especially in education, is the responsibility of all parties—parents, communities, government, and development partners like philanthropic organizations such as the Tanoto Foundation.

“With clear government guidelines, we must ensure everyone is committed to early childhood development. As the South African proverb goes, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’” she said.

She encourages families to actively engage in providing stimulation and education to young children. She hopes no parent misinterprets love by using incorrect parenting styles.

For example, parents who continue to feed their one-year-old only porridge, even though the child is ready to eat solid foods like rice, which helps develop their tongue and jaw. Or parents who refrain from talking to their children because they think the child is too young to understand, even though by age one, babies start absorbing words they hear.

“These are basic but essential forms of stimulation that must be understood while also improving access to nutrition and healthcare. We continue to educate families about their role in early childhood,” said Fitriana.

Parents must also become aware of the importance of early childhood education. ECE is now part of the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) as a 13-year mandatory education program. However, understanding of ECE still needs to be strengthened, as some parents resist enrolling their children, thinking it’s all just play, not learning.

“But ECE is supposed to use play-based learning. For young children, play is learning,” she clarified.

Fitriana explained that ECE builds foundational skills essential for later education. For example, activities like stringing beads or picking up small objects help children develop fine motor skills that support writing when they enter primary school.

“Children can absorb knowledge and information effectively through play because play emphasizes experience. Play contributes significantly to child development,” she added.

Working Together to Support Early Childhood
There’s also a common misconception that ECE doesn’t teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. In reality, these can be introduced at an early age, but must be adapted to the child's level of understanding.

For example, early math and reading lessons may be introduced through games and familiar objects, not formal letters or numbers.

In addition to understanding these concepts, parents must also be wise in choosing an ECE institution. They should observe, evaluate teacher interaction, and consider the child’s comfort when selecting a school.

Fasli added that all parents must be prepared to become ECE teachers themselves and understand the basic principles. Enrolling a child in an ECE center shouldn’t depend on the cost, but on the teachers' capacity and professionalism.

ECE teachers must be able to develop a child's socio-emotional, cognitive, motor, and language skills in a fun way. “That way, the child grows according to their talents and interests. Don’t focus on the cost—it can be adjusted,” he said.

A Call to Collective Action
Given the vital importance of ECE and the many challenges it faces, all stakeholders are urged to work together to uphold children’s rights -- especially in education. Fitriana emphasized that the ages 1–5 represent a rapid period of brain development that won’t happen again.

Parents, as children’s first and primary educators, must realize how crucial this phase is. “If we don’t maximize it, it’s like wasting 90 percent of a child’s brain development potential,” she stressed. Therefore, parents must continuously be educated about parenting, stimulation, and how to access quality ECE.

“Young children won’t protest to demand their rights. So it’s up to those around them -- especially parents and policymakers -- to collaborate and ensure their rights and optimal development are fulfilled,” said Fitriana.

To support this, ECED Indonesia -- initiated in part by the Tanoto Foundation --was established last year. Under the coordination of the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (PMK), this cross-sector movement promotes the fulfillment of early childhood rights, especially in education. ECED will continue raising awareness and expanding outreach strategies to the public. All these steps are taken to shape Indonesia’s children into the best generation possible.

“Children are our most valuable treasure, and it’s our duty to ensure their development. In the future, the challenges will be even greater, so we must continue to care for children from the womb, through their first 1,000 days, enriching stimulation, and ensuring their rights at home, in society, and in education,” Fasli concluded.