Not Jakarta: This Province Had the Highest Higher Education Participation Rate in 2021

The Gross Participation Rate (GPR) in higher education is crucial for a nation's competitiveness in the globalized world. Unfortunately, Indonesia's higher education GPR has not yet met the national target of 34.56 percent.

According to BPS (Statistics Indonesia) data, the GPR in higher education in Indonesia in 2021 was only 31.19 percent. This means that higher education enrollment has not reached one-third of the active-age population (19-23 years old).

Based on provincial data, the BPS reported that Yogyakarta Special Region had the highest higher education GPR, nearly 75 percent. This was followed by Maluku and Southeast Sulawesi with GPRs of 48.36 percent and 44.77 percent, respectively.

Jakarta ranked only 10th, with a GPR of 40.05 percent. The lowest GPR was recorded in Bangka Belitung Islands Province, with only 15.23 percent of the 19-23 year-old population enrolled in higher education.

Fifteen provinces (44.12 percent) had higher education GPRs below the national average. This includes three large provinces on Java Island, which have relatively adequate higher education facilities compared to eastern Indonesia.

East Java had only 29.96 percent of its 19-23 year-old population enrolled in higher education, West Java 25.83 percent, and Central Java 23.86 percent. The GPR of these three provinces was even lower than Banten's 32.51 percent.

(read: Still Below Target, Indonesia's 2021 Higher Education Participation Rate Remains Low)