[OPINION] Nutrition or Education Critical?
Indonesia is pinning high hopes for 2045, the centennial of its independence. The vision of “Golden Indonesia” envisions a golden era marked by a demographic bonus, a strong economy, and superior human resources. However, various issues arise in realizing this vision, including in South Kalimantan: are children growing up with proper nutrition and education today? If not, will the hoped-for golden generation truly materialize?
Two major, interrelated challenges in developing quality human resources are nutrition and child education. Unfortunately, both remain fundamental problems. Based on data from the 2024 Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI), the prevalence of stunting in South Kalimantan was recorded at 22.9 percent. This figure is higher than the national average of 19.8 percent. Stunting is not simply a matter of short stature, but also a sign of chronic nutritional disorders that have the potential to reduce a child’s cognitive capacity and productivity in the future.
Children with malnutrition often experience obstacles in participating in the learning process. Based on the article entitled “Wasting (Undernutrition and Malnutrition) and Its Impact on Children”, UNICEF (2023) states that children who experience malnutrition and malnutrition are more susceptible to disease due to their low immunity, stunted physical growth, and impaired brain development. This finding is also in line with the information presented in the Book Chapter of Stunting Volume 2(1) published by Nuansa Fajar Cemerlang which emphasizes that nutritional problems, especially those related to stunting, are not merely physical problems, but also disrupt cognitive development, reduce intellectual capacity, reduce future productivity, and increase the risk of infectious diseases in adulthood. Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), it shows that the average length of schooling (RLS) in South Kalimantan is 8.94 years for boys and 8.29 years for girls. This shows that the majority of the population of South Kalimantan has not completed high school. This situation constitutes an imbalance that serves as a warning sign for the future of the younger generation, as children who experience malnutrition and inadequate education will face various challenges, particularly physical limitations, cognitive impairments, and limited economic opportunities in the future.
The low Mean Years of Schooling (MES) certainly does not occur without cause. Various previous studies have confirmed that poverty significantly influences MES. This finding is reinforced by research conducted by Kurnia Hidayat, Akadun, and Anne Friday Safaria (2025) in “Education Office Strategy to Increase MES in Sumedang Regency,” which shows that poverty, unequal access to education, and low awareness of the importance of education are significant factors influencing MES achievement. This average schooling figure could be due to the fact that children from poor families often have to work early or marry young. Meanwhile, parents who do not complete formal education tend not to encourage their children to pursue higher education. All of this is exacerbated by poor nutritional conditions from pregnancy through infancy.
In fact, in national planning documents such as the RPJMN (National Medium-Term Development Plan), human resource development is a top priority towards a Golden Indonesia. South Kalimantan can be a concrete example that development must begin with good nutrition and adequate education. This goes beyond building physical infrastructure, but also ensuring that every child grows up healthy, intelligent, and has a fair opportunity to learn and develop. Otherwise, the vision of a Golden Indonesia will remain merely a dream on paper, with grand ambitions built on shaky foundations.
This issue is not simply about nutrition or the comfort of learning at school. It is a matter of the nation’s future. Without adequate nutrition and education from an early age, today’s children will grow into a generation that is uncompetitive in the future. They will struggle to adapt to the challenges of the working world and may even become trapped in an intergenerational cycle of poverty. This creates a vicious cycle of poverty, malnutrition, and low education that will continue from one generation to the next. Children, who should be the nation’s hope, are instead trapped in a system that cannot provide adequate nutrition and a proper education. Therefore, improving the quality of nutrition and education are no longer two separate agendas, but rather a unified, non-negotiable human resource development strategy.
The vision of a Golden Indonesia 2045 will not be realized if we continue to allow children to grow up in limitations. We must not build tall buildings and magnificent toll roads, forgetting that the people who will shape the future are growing up hungry and without knowledge. Ultimately, it is not only economic figures that determine a nation’s success, but the quality of the children prepared to fill the future.
By: Muhammad Agha Putra Al Fajrin – Statistics Student, Lambung Mangkurat University
Published in Radar Banjarmasin, December 31, 2025
