Indonesian student education is a subject that touches on culture, policy, economics, and the daily lives of millions of young people. Enrolling over 50 million learners across the country, the system is one of the largest in the world. Knowing how Indonesian students experience school requires looking at everything from early childhood through university, and at the many forces that shape their journeys.

Most Indonesian children begin their education at around age five or six in kindergarten, known as Taman Kanak-Kanak or TK. This is usually followed by six years of elementary school, or Sekolah Dasar, where students learn basic subjects like mathematics, Bahasa Indonesia, science, scholarship programs social studies, and religious education. A defining feature of this stage is the strong emphasis on memorization, discipline, and respect for teachers.