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ore than half of children under 6 have no access to early education in Indonesia, according to the Education and Culture Ministry. These children do not receive the basic knowledge required to be successful in this world.

This needs to be stopped and the government is working on it by building more schools. But we still need more help. People could help teach children at orphanages and organizations or donate money to them.

A child'€™s right to education is being severely violated throughout Indonesia. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 160,000 Indonesian children did not receive an education in 2010, and 260,000 in 2011.

In 2012, only 37.8 percent had access to preschools in Indonesia, according to the director general for early age education Lydia Freyani Hawadi. This is devastating. Children deserve an education and they should be learning.

These children are being negatively impacted. UNESCO'€™s Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report in 2011 ranked Indonesia 69th out of 127 countries surveyed, with an education development index rate of 0.934, still below the minimum standard of 0.95-1 required to make progress.

From these results, we can see that the people of Indonesia lack knowledge. These children are Indonesia'€™s future and will dictate the direction of our nation.

They need to be well prepared to lead the nation and the way that is done is through a proper education. If children in Indonesia are not educated, how will they learn to earn money?

There are 3 million homeless people in Indonesia. It'€™s hard for these people to live good lives as they have not received a proper education. An education is important for children and gives them the opportunity to change their lives.

There are schools that are being built by the government and orphanages where children can learn and get a home, but this isn'€™t enough. Around Rp 2.4 trillion (US$197.64 million) was distributed by the government to early childhood education this year.

With this amount, we can only develop 1,491 new preschools this year, far less than the government'€™s program to establish a preschool in every village in Indonesia.

As of 2012, there were 25,834 villages without early childhood education institutions, according to Lydia. There are still more children in Indonesia that need education.

Kampus Diakonia Modern (KDM) is an orphanage in Jakarta that provides basic education for children. KDM is helping kids build a foundation that will help them make smart decisions.

People could help out in orphanages and organizations like KDM to help enhance children'€™s learning experiences. More help is needed to give these children an education.

Every child deserves an education. It will help them make the right choices and give them the opportunity to pursue their passions. So do what'€™s right.

Do what you would want to be done for you. Help these children out, help out at an organization or donate to one. Give these children the knowledge and understanding to change the world.

Krish Samtani
Jakarta