The Health Ministry has urged health facilities to stay alert and increase surveillance of COVID-19 amid a surge in cases caused by a more transmissible but less deadly Omicron subvariant in several countries across Asia.

As the government rolls out a new stimulus package to cushion the impact of the economic slowdown, concerns are growing over its long-term effects, with experts warning of potential public dependency on temporary welfare assistance and calling for more sustainable economic measures.

Just as this year’s haj season is set to enter its peak, concerns have emerged among Indonesian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and people back home of mismanagement following reports of illegal pilgrimage attempts, visa cancellations and lodging issues.

House member Maria Yohana Esti Wijayanti called for immediate regulations following the Constitutional Court’s ruling on free education for elementary and junior high schools.

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).

The Health Ministry has reported a decline in the national stunting rate among children, from 21.5 percent in 2023 to 19.8 percent last year, marking progress toward reaching President Prabowo Subianto’s 14 percent target although experts warn substantial efforts are still needed to maintain progress.

Several options considered by the Higher Education, Science and Technology Ministry for Indonesian students in the United States are changing their scholarships’ terms and looking for possibilities to move the students to universities in Indonesia or other countries.

Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and Prasetiya Mulya University have agreed to collaborate in developing STEM programs and bolstering research on semiconductors amid the rise of digital technology industries globally.

In a landmark ruling on Tuesday, the Constitutional Court has decided that government subsidities should also apply to private schools as part of efforts to fulfill its obligation to provide free basic education to all students.

This year’s UTBK was marred by reports of widespread organized and systemic cheating. Investigations have uncovered a range of tactics, including the use of so-called academic joki, paid test-takers hired to impersonate actual students.

While not restricting certain private schools from charging their students for tuition, the Constitutional Court orders the government to provide a financing policy to ensure inclusive access for elementary education.

The Idul Adha (Day fo Sacrifice) Islamic holiday for 2025 will fall on June 6, as announced by Religious Affairs Minister Nasaruddin Umar following an isbat (moon sighting confirmation) hearing on Tuesday.

In a country where history is often shaped by politics, new state-backed textbooks have raised concerns about narrative control and repeating past biases.

Despite regulatory delays, National Economic Council head Luhut Pandjaitan said the Jakarta–Surabaya high-speed railway project is set to move forward.

The protection of survivors of gender-based violence has come under scrutiny following cuts to legal aid funding, as calls grow for stronger cooperation between the government and civil society organizations to prevent violence and enforce the anti-sexual violence law.

With the program scheduled to open in July, just months after its announcement, the focus has been on renovating state-owned buildings as well as recruiting teachers and support staff to meet the tight timeline.

Several climate and weather phenomena have triggered a late start to this year’s dry season in Indonesia, leading several regions to see thunderstorms and torrential rains until early June, as forecasted fby the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

With the program scheduled to open in July, just months after its announcement, the focus has been on renovating state-owned buildings as well as recruiting teachers and support staff to meet the tight timeline.

Indonesia saw 258,000 hectares of primary forest lost in 2024, slightly down from the 290,000 ha in the previous year, according to a recent report issued by research group World Resources Institute (WRI).

As several Asian countries grapple with a resurgence of COVID-19, the government has assured the public that Indonesia’s health sector is well-prepared to handle any future outbreaks, while authorities ramp up precautionary measures to prevent a domestic surge.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin’s push to overhaul the healthcare system has sparked fresh backlash from medical professionals and professors, while his recent controversial remarks have further fueled public scrutiny.

President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship Sekolah Rakyat (community school) education initiative, designed to expand access for children from low-income families, has come under public scrutiny after the displacement of visually impaired students from a century-old special needs institution in Bandung, West Java.

The Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) says it has frozen dormant bank accounts to “protect the public” from predatory schemes like online gambling and fraud, following reports that some bank customers found their accounts blocked without notice.

The police have begun cracking down on Facebook groups that allegedly posts adult content revolving around incest, amid mounting calls for the operators behind these illicit accounts to be brought to justice.

Some Indonesian netizens oppose the clinical trial of a tuberculosis (TB) vaccine candidate in Indonesia, whose development has been supported by the Gates Foundation. They claim that the state is selling people as "lab rats" for the philanthropist’s agenda. 

Various ministries have been intensifying efforts to mitigate and prevent forest and land fires as most parts of the country are expected to enter the dry season soon.

President Prabowo Subianto’s initiative to equip every school with so-called “smart screens” has been met with concerns of a misplaced priority, with experts contending that the budget for the high-tech equipment should instead be used to solve more fundamental problems surrounding the country’s education system.