Digital and Physical Gaps in Access to Education: A Comparative Study of Urban–Rural Educational Infrastructure in Indonesia

Abstract

Equitable access to education is a fundamental prerequisite for national progress, yet the infrastructure gap between urban and rural areas in Indonesia remains a crucial issue. This gap manifests in two main dimensions: physical and digital, both significantly impacting the quality of learning. This research aims to map and synthesize findings from various literature concerning the comparison of physical and digital education infrastructure between schools in urban and rural Indonesia. The research method used is a systematic literature review, examining relevant journal articles, government reports, and scientific publications from the last ten years. The synthesis results show a consensus in the literature that a sharp disparity exists. The literature consistently reports the superiority of urban schools in terms of building quality, laboratory completeness, and library facilities. On the other hand, the digital gap is also highly significant, with internet penetration and speed in rural schools lagging far behind. This study concludes that this dual gap creates systemic barriers for rural students and recommends the need for integrated intervention policies to address both dimensions of the gap simultaneously.