Embracing Diversity and Inclusion in Indonesian Schools : Challenges and Policy Options for the Future of Inclusive Education

Today, children with disabilities continue to be one of the most disadvantaged social groups and experience barriers to access and full participation in education in Indonesia. This policy note reviews the current status of Inclusive Education (IE) in Indonesia with dedicated attention to children with disabilities, focusing on school facilities and environment, teacher competency, and governance and service delivery. This study used focus group discussions to understand stakeholder perspectives in the implementation of IE, in addition to an extensive review of policy frameworks and IE practices in Indonesia and international good practices. This policy note finds that while the government has made progress on establishing policy framework for IE, the implementation of IE faces significant challenges. IE has not been fully mainstreamed into the education system due to limited legal and financial responsibilities and coordination at national, local and school levels. There is a strong need for improved accessibility and quality of inclusive schools, teacher and staff training, and increased administrative capacity. Limited cross-sectoral collaboration can prevent children with disabilities from appropriate learning and smooth school transitions, but this issue could have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 (coronavirus). This policy note provides policy recommendations in three strategic areas including access and equity of IE, quality of teaching and learning, and improved governance and ecosystem of service delivery. It is indispensable to ensure equitable access to inclusive schools in every sub-district/city in every education level. Teacher training and support mechanisms in IE is needed for all teachers, thus providing an opportunity to understand what inclusion is. Improved coordination, budget allocation, capacity building should happen across different levels of administration, providing better opportunities for children with disabilities