inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Minister of Population and Family Development, Wihaji, emphasized that the 30th National Day of Older Persons (HLUN) is a momentum to encourage the realization of active, independent, and productive seniors amidst the growing elderly population in Indonesia.
Wihaji stated that the government needs to be present to address the challenge of the increasing number of elderly, which is now approaching 12 percent of the total national population.
"Coincidentally, today we are graduating 387 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral graduates from the Elderly School. This is a priority program, because in Indonesia, we already have more than 11 percent, almost 12 percent of our aging population," said Wihaji on Tuesday (6/9/2026).
According to him, the Elderly School Program is designed not only to improve the knowledge and quality of life of seniors, but also to keep them productive through various social and economic activities, including the elderly entrepreneurship program.
"The spirit is to ensure our program runs smoothly, and this is actually very important. Therefore, I give my thanks to the Elderly Schools," said Wihaji.
He explained that these efforts are also part of the government's strategy to capitalize on the demographic bonus and address the phenomenon of an aging population.
He believes there are still many seniors aged 60–74 who can contribute economically and socially if given the right space and support.
Currently, there are around 3,051 Elderly Schools throughout Indonesia that are integrated through the Empowered Elderly System (Sidaya) application. This program is aimed at supporting the development of healthy, resilient, independent, and productive seniors.
Beyond the economic aspect, the Ministry of Education and Culture also highlights the issue of loneliness among the elderly, which can potentially trigger mental health disorders and depression. Therefore, the Elderly School is being encouraged to become a social interaction space that allows seniors to actively network, share experiences, and receive social support from fellow participants.
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