Jakarta, August 18, 2026 — Monday morning (August 17), the Red and White flag flew in the courtyard of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen). Among the ranks of participants in the 81st Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia's Independence ceremony, 30 students receiving the Secondary Education Affirmative Program (ADEM) stood tall as the Flag Raising Troop (Paskibra).

They come from Papua, the 3T (Underdeveloped Region), and families of Indonesian migrant workers. Their presence brings stories of education that pave the way for children from across the country to perform on the national stage.

For the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen), Abdul Mu'ti, equal educational opportunities are a crucial part of the ideals of independence. He hopes that opportunities for Indonesian children to receive a quality education will be more equitable. Abdul Mu'ti also advised the younger generation to grow up in an environment that upholds the values of brotherhood and caring for others.

After completing her duties, Yunita L. Lewedalu, a member of the Paskibra (Flag Troops) from Siwalima State High School in Ambon, spoke about the meaning of independence. She believes that independence is a situation steeped in the values of unity. As a young generation, Yunita emphasized that independence should be filled with diligent study, continuous development of skills, and readiness for the digital world.

A similar view was expressed by Ananda Jitotika, Bintang Sobat from BSS Bekasi City. For him, independence is a space for growth and benefits. "Independence is where we can develop ourselves, do what we love, and have an impact on the surrounding environment," he said.

Ananda encourages his peers to care for the environment and revive the value of mutual cooperation. "We can start by first caring for the environment and helping each other. Because nowadays, the sense of mutual assistance has diminished a bit. So I want to normalize mutual cooperation again now," he said.

Meanwhile, Narin Repanian Nayotama, a student at the Technical Implementation Unit (UPTD) of SMP 40 South Tangerang City, sees independence as a form of respect for the heroes. "In my opinion, the meaning of independence for students, teachers, and the school is that we honor the heroes who have worked so hard and sacrificed their lives so that we can live in peace like this," Narin explained.

He hopes the younger generation can emulate the heroes. "I hope we can respect them more and emulate them so we can become an independent nation," he continued.

This year's commemoration of Indonesian Independence Day is inextricably linked to the nation's concern for the children and young generation in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), who were affected by the earthquake on August 15th. Singer Rimar Callista delivered a message of encouragement to them. "Cheer up, young people of Flores. Let's reach out to help our brothers and sisters in need. I hope there are no difficulties in distributing aid," said Rimar.

Activities to Commemorate the 2026 Indonesian Independence Day

The 81st Indonesian Independence Day commemoration featured various performances by talented students. These included a flag-raising ceremony by the Papua Region's Secondary Education Affirmative Program (Adem) Scholarship Recipients, a song performance by the Perguruan Cikini School Orchestra, and a theatrical performance by Bintang Sobat SMP with the theme "Inherited Independence Must Be Appreciated."

The event continued with the presentation of the Satyalencana Karya Satya Award Certificates to six employees from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology. To conclude, various traditional competitions were held in the courtyard of the Ministry of Elementary and Secondary Education Office in Jakarta.

The courtyard of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Office witnessed the outstanding talents of children from various regions across Indonesia. Their impressive performances demonstrated that efforts to ensure quality education has been and continues to be made to reach all Indonesian children. The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education hopes that these efforts will produce a generation that is confident, has character, and cares for others. The next generation of the nation present carries a message of independence to continue growing and working together to realize quality education for all.*** (Authors: Rahman, Zahra / Photographer: Nurlaili, Shaka)

Bureau of Communication and Public Relations
Secretariat General
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education

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