Although decentralisation has been the subject of much discussion, little has been done in terms of large scale implementation. The national education system is based on the country's 1945 constitution and the state ideology called pancasila , which encompasses the five principles of the state's philosophy. Education consists of both state and private institutions. Private institutions comprise a significant portion of the country's primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. At some levels, the private sector forms the majority of institutions.
Islamic education is also a significant component of the education system.
One area where growth has persisted in spite of the crisis is in English language teaching. The sector has seen increasing demand for a variety of private courses across the country. Education is a key focal point of Indonesian development policy. Senior secondary education consists of three years and is divided into vocational and general streams. In addition to teaching the largest number of pupils, the primary schools comprise approximately two thirds of the total number of schools in Indonesia.