President Prabowo says smartboard rollout may miss December deadline

 Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto signalled on Monday that the government may miss its December 17 deadline to distribute 288,000 interactive flat panels (IFPs) to schools, saying the scale and logistics of the programme justify a brief delay.

Prabowo told officials not to rush shipments, indicating he would allow the target to slip by up to three weeks given the difficulty of reaching remote regions.

The rollout, he said, required delivery by boat and motorcycle in some areas, underscoring the challenges of a nationwide education digitalisation drive.

He described any minor delay as acceptable and not a major setback, stressing that the focus should remain on ensuring reliable delivery rather than meeting the original timetable at all costs.

Prabowo said digital learning tools were essential to improving education quality and developing competitive future talent.

He argued that all children, regardless of location, must have access to adequate learning technology to ensure equal opportunity.

He framed education investment as a long-term national priority, reiterating his commitment to overhauling the education system and modernising classroom infrastructure.

The IFP programme is being implemented under Presidential Instruction No. 7/2025, which mandates the revitalisation of schools, expansion of model institutions, and acceleration of learning digitalisation.

The government aims to distribute roughly 288,000 smartboards this year. As of now, 215,572 units have been shipped, with 172,550 already installed in schools. The remainder is expected to arrive by the end of December.

The smartboards enable interactive remote learning, allowing teachers and students to engage in two-way digital instruction, a step beyond the passive experience offered by conventional smart TVs.