Indonesia expands teacher training network to 164 institutions amid national shortage
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has signed cooperation agreements with 164 teacher education institutions to strengthen professional training for teachers, addressing a projected shortage of nearly 500,000 educators by 2026.
Ministry strengthens training for teacher with 164 institutions
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has formalized partnerships with 164 Teacher Professional Education Institutions (LPTKs) to expand the Teacher Professional Education (PPG) program, addressing Indonesia's looming teacher shortage of approximately 498,000 educators in 2026.
Minister Abdul Mu'ti, who leads the ministry formed in October 2024 when President Prabowo Subianto's Red White Cabinet restructured the education sector, emphasized that the program must produce teachers who serve as both learning facilitators and agents of civilization.
"Teachers who are respected and emulated, whose every word conveys wisdom and whose every action serves as an inspiring example — that is what I call 'teaching is inspiring,' teaching inspires."
Mu'ti stated this during the coordination meeting and signing ceremony in Central Jakarta on Thursday.
Significant growth in teacher education infrastructure
The expansion represents significant growth in Indonesia's teacher education infrastructure. While 480 LPTKs existed nationwide in 2018, only 61 were authorized to conduct PPG programs at that time. By 2022, this number had grown to 79 institutions, and now stands at 164 partner institutions.
Mandated by Government Regulation No. 74/2008 and Law No. 14/2005 on Teacher and Lecturer, the PPG program requires teacher candidates with bachelor's degrees to complete one year of professional education to obtain teaching certificates. Certified teachers become eligible for certification allowances equal to their basic salary, effectively doubling their income compared to uncertified colleagues.
The minister, who also serves as Secretary-General of Muhammadiyah and holds advanced degrees including a master's from Flinders University in Australia, stressed that PPG must drive meaningful transformation rather than serve merely as a formality for certification.
"Let us make this program more than just a formality. Let us make it a process that makes all Indonesian teachers increasingly professional."
Joint commitment to quality education
Director General of Teachers and Education Personnel Nunuk Suryani described the cooperation agreements as a joint commitment between the Directorate General and LPTKs to complete PPG for in-service teachers and prepare prospective educators.
"We believe that today's signing of the cooperation agreements is a tangible manifestation of universal participation. The government, LPTKs, and all education stakeholders are working together to provide quality education for all Indonesian children without exception."
Rapid program expansion and regional challenges
The program has expanded rapidly in recent years. After piloting the revised PPG with 26,000 teachers in 2022, enrollment grew to 31,000 and then 73,500 in subsequent years, with the government targeting full replacement of retiring teachers by 2026.
Suryani acknowledged that uneven implementation remains a challenge, with some provinces still lacking LPTKs offering the program. The government aims to address this by encouraging the 164 partner institutions to meet regional teacher needs based on required numbers, competencies, and distribution.
"Going forward, we want PPG implementation to be increasingly based on national and regional needs. LPTKs with strong capacity and proven track records will be encouraged to take on greater roles in line with the fields of study that are needed."
Quality standardization has been a priority since 2017, when the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education established national standards through Regulation No. 55 to equalize the quality of teacher candidates produced by different institutions.
The Directorate of Teacher Professional Education recently began revitalizing LPTKs across the archipelago, aligning curricula with subject-study gaps, and opened selection for the 2026 PPG prospective teacher cohort from late June through late July.