President Prabowo Subianto has stressed the importance of combining digital technology with traditional learning methods in schools to support the development of children’s fine motor skills, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Sugiono said.
He said that one of the challenges facing today’s generation is that skills such as writing and drawing are increasingly being replaced by digital media and tools accessed through gadgets. He made the remarks after launching the government’s writing-tools assistance program on Tuesday.
Speaking in Tangerang District, Banten, Sugiono said the trend should not be overlooked, as it could negatively affect children’s development and their ability to acquire new skills.
He expressed hope that the government’s assistance would help young Indonesians develop their cognitive and motor skills.
He added that, beyond improving motor skills, the use of books and traditional writing tools was also intended to encourage children to develop their imagination and broaden their perspectives.
The minister also emphasized that reading and writing are interconnected skills that should be nurtured from an early age.
He further noted that the government hoped the assistance program would enable students to acquire more knowledge and gain broader perspectives while improving their reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is responsible for implementing the program, which aims to distribute reading and writing materials to 147,743 elementary schools across Indonesia, benefiting more than eight million first- and second-grade students.
To date, assistance has reached 7,866,346 students at 143,774 elementary schools, representing 97.3 percent of the target.
The program has been allocated a budget of Rp781.7 billion (approximately US$43.3 million). The funds are transferred directly to schools, allowing them to purchase packages containing eight types of books and writing supplies through the School Procurement Information System, known as SIPLah.
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