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National AI, STEM initiative started by ministries, foundation
The initiative aims to provide foundational skills in AI and STEM to some 10 million students from about 500 public and private schools, including madrassa (Islamic curriculum school) and pesantren (Islamic boarding schools).
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Looking ahead: Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti delivers a speech on May 28 during the launch of the STEM Indonesia Cerdas initiative to provide skills in artificial intelligence and STEM, in Jakarta. The initiative aims to reach 10 million students from 500 schools and is a collaboration among several ministries and the Riady Foundation. (Courtesy of Riady Foundation/-)
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everal ministries and a foundation launched a national initiative on artificial intelligence on Wednesday with a starting fund of Rp 500 billion (US$30.73 million) involving some 500 educational institutions.
To be implemented in the third quarter of 2025, the initiative is called STEM Indonesia Cerdas, or Smart Indonesia Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and was launched by the Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry, Higher Education, Science and Technology Ministry, Culture Ministry, Religious Affairs Ministry and Communications and Digital Ministry in collaboration with the Riady Foundation.
The initiative aims to provide foundational skills in AI and STEM to some 10 million students from public and private schools, including madrassa (Islamic curriculum school) and pesantren (Islamic boarding schools). The program will provide an inclusive learning module, teachers’ training and digital learning platform, as well as a monitoring and evaluation system to support inclusive and sustainable educational transformation, the foundation said in a statement.
Schools minister Abdul Mu’ti welcomed the initiative saying that it had become an important part of the national priority.
“Indonesia Cerdas supports the vision of economic growth of 8 percent and the development of independent human resources,” he said, as quoted by the statement
Meanwhile, Yudi Darma, a professor of physics at the Bandung Institute of Technology, said the initiative was an example of real courage to conduct a strategic leap in building a sustainable science and technology education ecosystem.
“Not only because of its scale and funding but also because of its collaborative approach, which brings technology innovation to the society’s real needs,” said Yudi, who is also the director general of science and technology dissemination at the higher education ministry.
“This is a model relevant for a developing country with huge potential like Indonesia.”
The foundation executive director and initiator of the program, Stephanie Riady, said STEM Indonesia Cerdas was a collaborative movement to fulfill real challenges: Gaps of access, quality and resources in STEM education in Indonesia, especially in underdeveloped areas and madrassa.
“We want to shift the point of view toward science, technology and mathematics,” she said, as quoted in the statement.
“Science does not have to be complicated, technology does not have to be expensive and mathematics does not have to fearful.”
She said they could be loose, affordable, relevant and fun for all Indonesian children.
Foundation founder, Mochtar Riady said education was the best heritage for the next generation.
“The initiative is an important effort to answer global challenges and build a national solution,” he said, as quoted by the statement.
“Especially as global changes are driven by artificial intelligence and digital transformation, the young generation needs to be ready.”
