Authors: Jamilatuzzahro, M.Si, Fauzan Ghazi Alaudin, S.E

Indonesia’s Digital Landscape and Current Challenges

In Indonesia with a population of over 270 million, the country faces challenges in ensuring marginalized groups can access the opportunities provided by digital advancements. According to Susenas Data 2023, internet penetration reveals disparities between urban and rural areas, 35.90% in rural regions compared to 64.10% in urban centers. The provinces with the lowest internet penetration rates in Indonesia are west sulawesi at 0.44%, gorontalo at 0.41%, north maluku at 0.35%, west papua at 0.32%, and north kalimantan at 0.30%. Addressing this digital divide is crucial for fostering equitable growth and empowering marginalized groups in Indonesia, and ensuring access to technology and digital services will help create more inclusive opportunities for all segments of society. read more

Authors: Wisnu Setiadi Nugroho, PhD. & Jamilatuzzahro, M,Si

Global efforts to build equitable communities and ensure true education for all remain complex, primarily due to economic factors. One of the most significant barriers is the rising cost of education, with escalating tuition fees and student debt becoming substantial burdens for many students and their families.

In Indonesia, educational completion rates improved significantly across all socioeconomic groups and education levels from 2015 to 2021. According to Susenas, primary education completion for the lowest socioeconomic group rose from 85.33% to 95.04%, junior secondary from 65.93% to 83.59%, and senior secondary from 28.62% to 48.43%. The highest socioeconomic group also saw notable increases, with primary education completion rising from 96.99% to 98.50%, junior secondary from 91.42% to 92.48%, and senior secondary from 76.97% to 81.81%. These improvements are expected to drive demand for universities to provide higher-quality education that is also affordable, as more students reach higher education levels. read more

Author: Wisnu Setiadi Nugroho, Ph.D. & Jamilatuzzahro, M.Si.

Rice, a fundamental dietary staple for millions worldwide, ensures global food security (Fan & Rue, 2020). Therefore, an increase in rice prices will hamper economic progress. The multitude of intermediaries between farmers and consumers significantly contributes to the substantial increase in rice prices in Indonesia, which leads to the highest rice prices in history. In 2022/23, Indonesia  consumed a staggering 35.3 million metric tons of rice (Katadata, 2023). A remarkable 98.35% of Indonesians drive this continual increase, including rice in their diet (CNBC, 2023). Nevertheless, the recent surge in rice prices has had a profound impact on a substantial number of individuals, particularly those from impoverished households. As reported by Indonesia’s National Statistics (BPS), as of February 2024, the price of premium rice in Indonesia fluctuates from Rp. 14,525 per kilogram. This represents an 8.82% rise compared to December 2023 and a substantial surge of approximately 22.91% compared to prices in February 2023; the price of rice has risen by 19.38% in urban areas and 23.04% in rural areas relative to the poverty line (CNBC, 2023). read more

Oleh: Jamilatuzzahro M.Si, & Grace Zefanya

Dana Desa memiliki peran sentral dalam Transfer Ke Daerah (TKD) yang diperuntukkan khusus bagi desa, dengan tujuan mendukung pendanaan penyelenggaraan pemerintahan, pelaksanaan pembangunan, pemberdayaan masyarakat, dan kemasyarakatan di tingkat desa. Komitmen pemerintah terlihat dari perkembangan besaran alokasi dana desa dari tahun 2015 hingga 2023. Alokasi Dana Desa untuk setiap wilayah di Indonesia menunjukkan pola yang beragam. Sumatera, dengan 10 provinsi dan 131 kabupaten/kota, memiliki rata-rata Dana Desa per desa sebesar Rp 739.615.964, dan rata-rata per penduduk perdesaan mencapai Rp 519.410,68. Sementara itu, Jawa Bali menonjol dengan rata-rata penduduk perdesaan per desa yang lebih tinggi, mencapai 2.262,51 jiwa, dan meskipun memiliki rata-rata Dana Desa per desa yang lebih tinggi (Rp 866.833.277), rata-rata per penduduk pedesaan lebih rendah, yakni Rp 383.128,15. Kalimantan menunjukkan kepadatan penduduk pedesaan yang tinggi (1.306,25 jiwa/km2) dan rata-rata Dana Desa per desa sebesar Rp 787.050.443. Sulawesi memiliki rata-rata Dana Desa per desa dan per penduduk pedesaan yang sebanding (Rp 760.775.820 dan Rp 528.075,18). Sementara itu, Nusa Tenggara memiliki rata-rata Dana Desa per desa sebesar Rp 856.682.677, dengan rata-rata per penduduk perdesaan mencapai Rp 512.346,39. Maluku dan Papua menunjukkan perbedaan signifikan, dengan Maluku memiliki rata-rata Dana Desa per desa yang tinggi (Rp 758.601.472) dan Papua memiliki rata-rata Dana Desa per penduduk perdesaan tertinggi, yaitu Rp 2.119.619,06. Data ini mencerminkan kompleksitas dalam alokasi Dana Desa, yang perlu diperhatikan dalam pengembangan kebijakan untuk pemberdayaan masyarakat desa di berbagai wilayah Indonesia. read more

Oleh: Wisnu Setiadi Nugroho, Ph.D & Jamilatuzzahro, M.Si

Dalam konteks dinamika politik dan pergantian kepemimpinan pemerintah Indonesia, bantuan sosial (bansos) menjadi isu krusial yang mencuat di tengah masyarakat. Banyak masyarakat bertanya dan meragukan keberlangsungan program-program bansos yang sudah berjalan selama ini apabila terjadi pergeseran kekuasaan pemerintahan. Secara historis, bansos bukan merupakan hal baru. Di setiap rezim pemerintahan, tiap presiden selalu menganggarkan perlindungan sosial melalui Rencana Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Negara (RAPBN). Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa bantuan sosial bukan hanya sebuah kebijakan sementara yang dapat berubah seiring pergantian kepemimpinan, tetapi merupakan hak dasar masyarakat yang harus diakui, dipertahankan secara kontinu, dan dilindungi oleh undang-undang.  read more