The Research and Development Division of SEAMEO CECCEP organized a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) for the Preparing a Study on Developing an Equitable and Inclusive ECD Budgeting Model to Promote Fair Access and Quality Services. The event took place over three days, from 28 to 30 April 2025, at Hotel Travello, Bandung.
This FGD brought together key stakeholders from both national and international institutions, including representatives from the Directorate of Social, Cultural, and Environmental Development for Villages and Rural Areas (Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration), UNICEF Indonesia, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia University of Education (UPI), and Insight Pendidikan.
The main objective of this event was to analyze budget allocation for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and to formulate policy recommendations for optimizing sustainable funding from national, international, and alternative sources. The goal is to enhance ECCE quality and ensure equitable access to services across all socio-economic groups in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
The event was officially opened by SEAMEO CECCEP’s Deputy Director for Programs, Mr. Widodo Suhartoyo, who remarked, “The budget allocation for early childhood remains significantly lower than the overall education budget. Cross-sectoral collaboration is essential to ensure ECCE services receive the financial support they need.”
Keynote Presentations
Three main speakers delivered insightful presentations, forming the foundation for the development of an inclusive and equitable ECCE budgeting model:
Ali Moechtar – UNICEF Indonesia
Presented an overview of the social, political, and economic landscape shaping ECCE budgeting in Indonesia.
Rian Rizky – Insight Pendidikan
Shared the results of a simulation of the ideal BOS fund for ECCE, highlighting the actual financial needs for delivering quality ECCE services.
Andrey Lubis – Director of Social, Cultural, and Environmental Development for Villages and Rural Areas, Ministry of Villages PDTT
Discussed the potential of utilizing village funds to support ECCE at the community level. He stressed the need for clear technical guidelines and capacity-building initiatives to ensure that village-level funding is effectively used and delivers sustainable impact.
The key takeaway from this activity is the development of an inclusive and equitable ECCE budgeting model, which can serve as a policy reference for both central and local governments in designing programs that improve access to and the quality of ECCE services in Indonesia and across Southeast Asia.
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