Prabowo Subianto, the President-elect, has expressed his commitment to reducing the Single Tuition Fee (UKT) for public universities in his upcoming leadership. He made this statement during an exclusive interview on TvOne titled “Prabowo Subianto Speaks for Indonesia” on Wednesday, (22/5).
Prabowo emphasized the importance of keeping fees low in state universities, which are funded by public money, and ideally making them minimal or free. He acknowledged the shift in the education system towards capitalist values since the New Order era, turning education into an industry.
He stressed that education is a public good and a social obligation for a country, not a market commodity. As the times evolve, Prabowo mentioned that the government will seek ways to improve the education sector.
Prabowo also mentioned the industrial downstreaming program initiated by President Jokowi as a way to increase state revenue significantly. He believes that carrying out downstreaming to add value will help improve education in the country.
