Indonesian Lecturers Demand Return to Core Education Mandate, Criticize Policy Shifts

The Alliance of Civil Servant Lecturers of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Adaksi) has voiced strong dissatisfaction with the current direction of national higher education policy, particularly on the occasion of National Education Day. Adaksi argues that policies have strayed from the legal mandate of higher education, which should focus on developing national character, advancing science and technology, and upholding humanistic values. Instead, they contend that universities are increasingly being treated as mere instruments to fulfill industrial needs.

Central to their concerns are the potential closure of study programs deemed irrelevant to the job market and the neglect of lecturer welfare, especially regarding functional allowances for civil servant lecturers. Adaksi points out the irony of the ministry promoting "international-standard higher education" while lecturers are burdened with additional administrative tasks like providing evidence for key performance indicators, accreditation, and integrity zones. This administrative overload, they argue, detracts from the core academic mission.

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misalnya masuknya program MBG ke perguruan tinggi, ini memperlihatkan kekeliruan prioritas

Adaksi has outlined seven specific demands to the government. These include restoring universities' role in developing knowledge and civilization, increasing functional allowances for lecturers (unchanged since 2007), and ensuring full payment of performance allowance back pay for 2020-2024. They also call for guaranteed funding for higher education as mandated by the constitution, a comprehensive evaluation of lecturer workload to prioritize quality over administration, and a simplification of administrative processes to alleviate the academic burden. The group believes National Education Day should be a time for serious reflection on whether higher education policies align with constitutional mandates.

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Ketika kementerian menggaungkan semangat pendidikan tinggi bertaraf internasional, di lapangan dosen justru dipaksa menanggung beban administratif tambahan berupa penyediaan bukti capaian indikator kinerja utama, akreditasi, dan zona integritas