Three Years of Jokowi-JK, Human Development Index Enters High Category

The quality of Indonesia's human resources during the presidency of Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and Jusuf Kalla (JK) has improved. This is reflected in the increase of the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2015 and 2016. In fact, the 2018 State Budget (RAPBN) targeted the HDI to reach 71.5.

Indonesia's HDI in 2016 increased to 70.18 on a scale of 0-100. This achievement is higher than the previous year and places Indonesia's human development in the high category. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), human development is categorized into four criteria: HDI > 80 (very high), HDI 70-79 (high), HDI 60-69 (medium), and HDI <60 (low).

The improvement across all dimensions forming the HDI has placed Indonesia's human development in the high category. Health indicators have improved, with life expectancy at birth in 2016 rising to 70.9 years from 70.59 years in 2014. Education indicators, namely average years of schooling and expected years of schooling, also increased to 7.95 years and 12.72 years respectively, from 7.73 years and 12.39 years previously. Similarly, indicators of a decent standard of living have also improved. This is evident in the increase in per capita expenditure to Rp 10.42 million from Rp 9.9 million per year in 2014.