South Tangerang, Banten, October 1, 2026 — The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) through the National Achievement Center (Puspresnas) continues to strengthen the development of student talent in the field of research and innovation through the 2026 National Indonesian Student Research Olympiad (OPSI). The closing and awarding of OPSI 2026 medals is a momentum to emphasize the sustainability of talent development, with achievement as a gateway to the learning process, competency strengthening, and self-development.
A total of 250 research and innovation talents from elementary and secondary education levels participated in the 2026 OPSI final series which took place on September 24–30, 2026. The implementation of OPSI is an important part of the implementation of Student Talent Management as regulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Elementary and Secondary Education (Permendikdasmen) Number 25 of 2025.
Maila Dinia Husni Rahiem, Special Staff to the Minister of Elementary and Secondary Education for the Improvement of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Teacher Competence, stated that OPSI is a space for actualizing student talents and is also part of the Ministry of Elementary and Secondary Education's efforts to build a talent management ecosystem that supports the process of identifying, developing, actualizing, and sustaining talents.
"The government wants to ensure that OPSI talents have the opportunity to grow sustainably through universal appreciation and participation, including from universities and the industrial world," said Maila Dinia Husni Rahiem, while closing OPSI in South Tangerang, Tuesday (29/9).
According to Maila, OPSI isn't solely about winning medals. The experience gained during OPSI is crucial for building character and developing capacity as young researchers. Maila advised OPSI participants to view the event not only as an opportunity to achieve success but also as a platform to develop character as young researchers.
"Today's achievements are a gateway to future opportunities. A chance to learn more, develop talents, gain new experiences, compete at a higher level, and for some, bring Indonesia's name to the international stage by participating in the Indonesian Talent Scholarship selection process," Maila explained.
On the same occasion, the Head of Puspresnas, Maria Veronica Irene Herdjiono, explained that the characteristics of OPSI differ from other problem-oriented competitions. In OPSI, participants are encouraged to understand and solve problems through research.
"In other competitions, students are asked to solve problems. But in research, they don't solve problems, but rather think about how to solve a problem. Even starting from the very nature of research, we must be able to predict problems that don't yet exist, what the future holds, and how to solve them," said Irene.
Therefore, the OPSI 2026 final series will not only feature research presentations but also an exhibition of the results and a Research Idea Challenge (RICh). Through RICh, participants are challenged to spontaneously generate ideas to solve a problem within a limited time.
OPSI's talent development doesn't stop with a series of competitions. One of the strengthening efforts is through the Collaborative Indonesian Talent Development (BTI) program, which will be held on September 28, 2026.
The program strengthens six competencies, or 6Cs: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, Character, and Citizenship. This strengthening is designed to ensure research talent has a more comprehensive set of skills, not only academically but also in character and the ability to interact with the environment.
"So, students from 125 teams collaborated to solve problems, interacting, and communicating, creating strong interactions among participants. We hope that in the future, they can network to develop themselves as promising research talents," Irene concluded.
The increase in OPSI enrollment also demonstrates high student participation in research and innovation. By 2026, OPSI enrollment is projected to reach 39,300 students, an increase of approximately 47 percent compared to 26,723 enrollees in 2025.
Furthermore, to strengthen the research competencies of OPSI 2026 participants, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is collaborating with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). This collaboration includes strengthening research methodology, understanding ethical clearance in research, and introducing the fundamentals of research in accordance with scientific principles.
At the national level, OPSI 2026 will be attended by finalists from junior high schools (SMP/MTs/equivalent) and senior high schools (SMA/MA/SMK/MAK/equivalent). For elementary education, the fields of competition include Natural Sciences (IPA), Applied Sciences (IPT), and Social Sciences (IPS). Meanwhile, at the secondary education level, the fields of competition include Applied Physics and Engineering (FTR), Social Sciences and Humanities (ISH), and Mathematics, Science, and Technology (MST).
As a token of appreciation for the participants' achievements, the Ministry of Education and Culture will provide development funds for the 2026 National OPSI medal winners. At the junior high school/Islamic junior high school/equivalent level, gold medalists will receive Rp15 million, silver Rp10 million, and bronze Rp5 million. Meanwhile, at the senior high school/Islamic senior high school/vocational high school/Islamic vocational high school/equivalent level, gold medalists will receive Rp25 million, silver Rp20 million, and bronze Rp15 million.
In addition to coaching money, high-achieving talents receive a number of opportunities for further development, including participating in coaching for international events, the Indonesian Talent Development program, the opportunity to participate in the Indonesian Talent Scholarship selection for undergraduate (S1) levels at home and abroad, and the opportunity to follow the achievement pathway to enter universities at home and abroad.
Through these various opportunities, the Ministry of Education and Culture encourages OPSI participants to achieve more than just medals, but also to pursue learning opportunities, competency development, and networking opportunities to support their research and innovation talents. (Author & Documentation: Puspresnas Team, Editors: Destian, Denty)
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