Lesson video

Hello and welcome.

My name is Ms. Harrison, and I'm so excited to be learning with you today.

Grab everything you might need for today's lesson and let's begin our learning.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to describe the challenges associated with providing services and reducing unemployment and crime in Jakarta.

Before we can begin this learning, we need to define the keywords that we'll be using throughout today's lesson.

The keywords are sanitation, groundwater, and pollution.

Sanitation.

This is the systems for removing human waste and managing rubbish and dirty water to prevent the spread of diseases.

Groundwater.

This is water found underground in soil, sand, and rock.

It's stored in aquifers and can be used as a source of water for drinking or industry.

Pollution.

This is the presence of harmful substances in the environment, such as in air, water, or soil, which can damage ecosystems and human health.

Now that we've defined these keywords, we can begin our learning.

The area we're first going to focus on is challenges of clean water, sanitation, and energy.

Jakarta is one of the fastest growing megacities in the world, but its water systems haven't kept up with the pace of population growth.

Because of this, millions of residents don't have reliable access to clean, safe water, and this crisis is caused by a mix of natural and human factors.

The city's location in a low-lying area makes it prone to flooding and contamination.

A rapidly growing population puts pressure on water supplies and waste systems, and weak infrastructure like leaking septic tanks and poor sewage systems leads to pollution of both groundwater and surface water.

And as a result, many people are forced to use unsafe water, which can lead to serious health problems, especially in poorer communities.

True or false? As a global megacity in a newly emerging economy, Jakarta is too developed to have serious problems with providing clean water and sanitation.

Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause the video here and press play to continue.

Fantastic.

The reason why it's false is because despite being a global megacity, large parts of Jakarta, especially kampungs, lack piped water and sanitation systems. Many people rely on groundwater and open drains and severe water pollution are both still common in some areas.

Well done if you managed to explain that correctly.

You've done brilliantly.

Jakarta's water crisis isn't just about overall supply, it's about who has access.

In 2024, only 65% of Jakarta's population had access to clean piped water, meaning over 1/3 of the city still relied on unsafe sources like groundwater or bottled water.

Access is uneven across the city.

In South Jakarta, access is very low, with less than 20% of residents connected to clean piped water.

In south central areas, most neighbourhoods fall below 40% access.

In contrast, north and central Jakarta have better coverage with over 60% of homes connected to safe water.

This shows that water inequality is a serious issue with poorer and more informal areas often missing out on the basic services, while wealthier, central zones are much better served.

In Jakarta, low piped access to water forces many people to rely on groundwater, especially in areas where the public water system doesn't reach.

This creates two major problems. In areas with no piped water, families have no choice but to pump water from underground, even if it's unsafe or contaminated.

In areas that do have piped access, people often still overuse groundwater, especially where the supply is unreliable or it's really expensive.

As a result, groundwater levels drop and the land above begins to sink.

This process is called land subsidence, and it's already a major problem in Jakarta, increasing the risk of flooding and damaging buildings and infrastructure.

So Jakarta's limited piped water supply doesn't just affect health.

It also contributes directly to serious environmental risks.

In many parts of Jakarta, groundwater pollution has made it too dangerous to drink, and as a result, bottled water has become the only safe option for many families.

So why is groundwater unsafe? It often contains iron, bacteria, and harmful chemicals, especially in areas near factories that are dumped near industrial waste.

Leaking toilets and septic tanks also contaminate groundwater with sewage, especially in densely populated kampungs.

So why do people turn to bottled water? In the absence of clean piped water, bottled water is seen as convenient and safe, but it comes with major problems. It's very expensive, and many low-income families spend up to 10% of their monthly income just to access safe water.

It creates large amounts of plastic waste, which worsens Jakarta's solution and landfill problem.

So our bottled water may seem like a quick fix, it's not a long-term or sustainable solution, especially for poorer communities already facing other challenges.

Jakarta doesn't just face a water crisis.

It has serious problems with sanitation.

Only 5% of the city is connected to a proper sanitation system, such as a network of underground sewers that safely transport wastewater away from homes and treat it.

Instead, most residents rely on septic tanks.

While these can work if properly maintained in Jakarta, many are poorly built or never emptied, which means they often start to leak, and this leads to raw sewage seeping into the ground, and in some areas, directly into rivers and canals.

And wastewater and sewage are also frequently dumped into rivers and the sea without any treatment, polluting waterways, harming marine ecosystems, and increasing the risk of waterborne diseases.

Poor sanitation affects public health, especially in density populated kampungs, where leaking tanks and open drains are common and heavy rain can spread waste even further.

This shows how limited infrastructure and rapid urban growth are closely linked to Jakarta's environmental and health challenges.

Jakarta has made a major progress in recent years by expanding and modernising its energy supply, helping meet the needs of a fast growing population.

In 2023, Jakarta achieved full energy access.

That means 100% of households are now connected to an electricity supply, a huge step forward for quality of life, economic opportunity, and basic services.

There were two key projects that have helped to access and reduce environmental impact.

The first one is the Muara Karang Gas Power Plant, which uses natural gas, which is a cleaner, more efficient than coal.

It produces lower emissions, helping reduce Jakarta's contribution to air pollution and climate change.

And the second is the Cirata Floating Solar Plant.

This is the largest floating solar power plant project in Southeast Asia, and it produces renewable energy without taking up land space, making it the smart solution for a dense city.

Jakarta still faces challenges like pollution and traffic, but full energy access and investment in cleaner sources shows that the city is making real progress towards a more sustainable future.

Jakarta has made real progress by achieving 100% household electricity access, but not everyone benefits equally from that connection.

Many residents still face unreliable energy.

Frequent and lengthy power cuts are common, especially in poor neighbourhoods.

This affects schools, businesses, clinics, and daily life, making it harder for people to work, learn, and stay safe.

In informal areas like kampungs, energy access is often unsafe or illegal.

Unplanned housing is not always properly connected to the grid, so some homes rely on tapping into nearby power lines, which can be dangerous and increase the risk of fires or electrocution.

So while Jakarta has reached full coverage on paper, the reality is that energy access is still really unequal, especially for those living in informal settlements.

True progress means making energy not just available, but also reliable, safe, and affordable for everyone.

Even though Jakarta has improved energy access, the way that energy is produced still has serious environmental consequences.

Jakarta uses 10 times more electricity than the national average, and this reflects the city's high population, growing economy, and demand from industry, businesses, and households.

But much of this energy still comes from dirty sources.

75% of Jakarta electricity is generated by burning coal.

Coal is one of the most polluting fuels, and it releases carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change, particulate matter, PM2.

5, which worsens air pollution, and coal emissions are a major cause for Jakarta's poor air quality, especially during the dry season when there's less rainfall to clear the air.

Combined with vehicle and industrial emissions, coal power makes Jakarta one of the most polluted cities in Southeast Asia.

So while energy access is improving, the challenge now is to transition to cleaner sources, like solar and gas, to protect both the environment and public health.

Which of the following is a challenge of providing energy in Jakarta? Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is B, air pollution.

Well done if you identified those correctly.

I would now like you to match the following percentages to the correct case study detail.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answers.

For 5%, it's percentage of Jakarta's residents that are connected to a sanitation system.

For 10%, it's percentage of income that poor residents of Jakarta spend on bottled water.

For 65%, it's percentage of Jakarta's residents with access to clean safe water in 2024.

And for 100% it's percentage of Jakarta residents that are connected to an electricity supply.

Well done if you managed to identify these correctly.

You've done fantastically.

I would now like you to describe the distribution of piped water customer coverage in Jakarta.

Alex said that he's going to make sure that he uses evidence from the map to describe which areas have good and bad access to piped water.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answers.

Your answer might include some of the following points.

Piped water coverage in Jakarta is uneven.

The north and central parts of the city have better access, with over 60% of people connected to piped water.

In contrast, the south and south-central areas have much lower coverage, with some places having less than 20%.

The map shows coverage decreases from moving from the centre to the south.

Well done on this task.

You've done brilliantly.

I hope you manage to include some of those in your answer.

We're now going to explore challenges of health and education services.

Jakarta has some of the best health services in Indonesia.

Like many parts of the city, there's a big gap between access and quality.

Jakarta has 65 doctors per 100,000 people, compared to 47 per 100,000 nationwide.

There are 189 hospitals, including 51 specialist hospitals, which serve people across the city from surrounding regions.

This makes Jakarta a healthcare hub, offering more advanced services than most of the other cities in Indonesia.

A rapidly growing population increases demand for clinics, staff, and hospital beds.

Many poor residents, especially those in kampungs, still struggle to access affordable, reliable care.

Some areas still lack basic services, and public clinics can be overcrowded and underfunded.

So while healthcare in Jakarta is more developed than the national average, inequality and overuse means that the access is still uneven, especially for low-income communities.

Even though Jakarta has more hospitals and doctors than most other parts of Indonesia, its health service still faces major challenges, especially in poorer and overcrowded areas.

Many people live in kampungs, are far from the public hospitals or clinics.

In some cases, just getting to a health centre can be really difficult or expensive.

Public hospitals and clinics are often overcrowded, especially in density populated districts.

And Jakarta doesn't have enough doctors, nurses, or medical specialists to meet the rising demands.

Flooding, poor sanitation, and air pollution all increase the risk of spread of illnesses like dengue fever, diarrhoea, and respiratory infections.

Many people experience long waiting times for treatment, and new migrants may face language barriers, making it harder to explain their symptoms to access care.

Not everyone is registered for Indonesia's National Health Insurance Scheme, which limits access to affordable treatment.

Which one of the following is not a challenge to health services at in Jakarta? Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is D, too many doctors for the positions available.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

Jakarta has some of the best education services in Indonesia with higher levels of schooling and literacy than most other regions.

Students in Jakarta complete an average of 11 years of education, compared to just six years in Papua.

Female literacy rate in Jakarta is 99.

65%, which is significantly higher than the national average of 95.

29%.

And this reflects stronger access to schools, more investment, and greater educational opportunities in the capital.

But pressure in the system is growing.

A rising population means schools are often overcrowded, especially in low-income areas.

Not all schools have adequate facilities, and some lack enough classrooms, toilets, or clean water.

Teachers are in short supply in some districts, and there are gaps in quality between public and private schools.

Recent migrants and students from informal settlements may struggle to enrol or stay in school.

So while Jakarta's education system performs well overall, it still faces real challenges, particularly when it comes to equality, resources, and reaching the city's poorest students.

While Jakarta offers better education than most parts of Indonesia, its school system is under pressure and faces serious challenges, especially in poorer districts and for recent migrant families.

In some areas, classrooms have more than 50 pupils, making it difficult for students to learn and for teachers to manage.

To cope, some schools can double shift, one group in the morning and another in the afternoon.

State schools, government-run, free to attend, and low-income districts often struggle to recruit and keep skilled teachers.

This leads to large class sizes and gaps in subject knowledge.

Many schools, especially in poor areas, don't have science labs, computers, or proper classroom equipment.

And girls in lower-income areas may face pressure to leave school early, often to marry or to support the family.

Families must pay for things like uniform, PE kits, books, and stationary, which can be unaffordable for many and restrict them from going to school.

Children who have recently arrived from other islands or countries often lack official ID documents, which are needed to enrol in public schools.

Without proper registration, these families miss out on government support and education subsidies.

So while Jakarta's education system is strong on paper, state schools in poor and overcrowded areas face serious challenges.

And unless all children, including migrants, can access quality education, the gap between rich and poor in Jakarta will just continue to grow.

Which of the following are challenges to education services in parts of Jakarta? Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answers are C, overcrowded classrooms, and D, problems recruiting qualified teachers.

Well done.

I would now like you to list three or more challenges of either health services or education services in Jakarta.

It's your choice.

Which of the challenges you've listed do you consider to be the most important? And I'd like you to explain why.

Pause the video here, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answers.

For health service, you might have written, camp and residents may have a long way to travel, overcrowding, long waitings in public hospitals and clinics, and spread of diseases due to poor sanitation and frequent flooding.

For education services, overcrowded classes, problems recruiting qualified teachers, and girls facing pressure to leave school early to get married.

And for the second task, you might have included some of the following points to justify why your challenge was the most important.

I think the spread of diseases because of poor sanitation and frequent flooding is the most important challenge for health services.

It is the poorer areas and most crowded area of Jakarta that probably suffer the most from this challenge.

And these are also the areas where healthcare is already under pressure.

If sanitation could be improved to stop these diseases spreading during Jakarta's floods, then I think hospitals and clinics and these areas would not be under such pressure, and access to healthcare would improve.

I would say that girls facing pressure to leave school early to get married is the most important education challenge in Jakarta.

This is because it will mean that these girls do not have access to good employment opportunities and higher-skilled jobs when they're older.

That will be bad for them, but also bad for Jakarta's economy.

It also isn't fair because everyone should have the same access to education and to life opportunities.

Well done on those tasks.

You've done brilliantly, and I hope you manage to include some of those points in your answer.

We're now going to explore our final topic for today, which is challenges of unemployment and crime.

Jakarta's economy has grown rapidly in recent years, keeping pace with its booming population.

Since 2020, the city's GDP has increased every year, reflecting growth in sectors like finance, construction, retail, and industry.

This shows Jakarta's growing role as Indonesia's economic powerhouse, but economic growth doesn't always mean more jobs for everyone.

Despite a stronger economy, the number of unemployed people in Jakarta has also increased.

This suggests that many people, especially young people, migrants, and those with limited education, are not benefiting equally from growth.

And there may be mismatches between jobs being created and the skills people have.

So while Jakarta's economy is expanding, it still faces challenges around inequality, unemployment, and making sure that growth is inclusive and sustainable.

In 2025, Jakarta had an unemployment rate of 6.

18%, and this means that just over six out of every 100 in the workforce were actively looking for a job, but they couldn't find one.

For comparison, Indonesia's national unemployment rate was 4.

07% at the same time, which is significantly lower.

The unemployment rate is an important economic indicator.

It shows the percentage of people in the labour force who are unemployed, and the people who are able and willing to work and don't currently have a job.

Although Jakarta has a strong economy, not everyone is finding work.

And this could be due to rapid population growth, skills mismatch, or growth in sectors that require higher qualifications or pressure from rural to urban migration.

So even in a city, unemployment remains a key issue, and tackling it will require investment in training, education, and inclusive job creations.

Why would a dynamic growing city like Jakarta have a problem with unemployment? Pause the video here whilst you have a think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's hear some answers.

Jun said, "Maybe the jobs that are available aren't a good match for people coming in from rural areas," and he's correct.

And Laura said, "Maybe Jakarta's industries are using more robots and automation," and she's also correct.

We know that they're moving away from having people in factories to using computers and machinery within there, which reduces the number of jobs available to people.

Even though Jakarta's economy is growing, unemployment remains a serious problem.

Here are three key reasons why.

Rural to urban migration.

Every year, thousands of people migrate to Jakarta from other parts of Indonesia in search for work.

And most bring rural skills, like farming or manual labour, which don't match the skills needed in Jakarta's modern, urban economy.

And many migrants struggle to find formal jobs, especially without qualifications or official documents.

Jakarta's fastest growing industries are in some areas like finance, real estate, and technology.

And these sectors don't create large numbers of jobs.

And the jobs they do offer usually require specialist, high-level skills, which many job seekers don't have.

Decline of traditional industries.

Industries that once provided jobs like textiles, food processing, and vehicle manufacturing, they're leaving the city.

Many have moved to areas like Bekasi where land is cheaper.

Others are investing in automation, which means fewer workers are needed, even when production continues.

So although Jakarta's growing economically, it faces a skills gap, migration pressures, and a shift toward automation and specialised industries, all of which make it harder for many people to find work.

Jakarta has a large informal economy where many people work in casual, low-paid jobs without contracts or legal protections.

So what is the informal sector? Its jobs in the informal sector include being paid in cash, unregulated, no official contract or right, and you're not protected if a worker is injured, sick, or unfairly treated.

So why is this a problem? Many informal jobs are low-paid and do not lift people out of poverty.

They offer no training or qualifications to help workers move into better paid formal jobs.

They do not pay taxes, so the city loses money that could be spent on schools, hospitals, and transport.

And many migrants from rural areas end up in informal work because they lack skills or documentation.

One example is waste pickers at the Bantar Gebang landfill site who collect and sell recyclables to survive, often in dangerous and unsanitary conditions.

So while the informal sector provides income for many, it also keeps people in poverty, increases urban inequality, and reduces government revenue, making it a major urban challenge.

True or false? Although it creates jobs, the informal sector is actually a big challenge for reducing unemployment in Jakarta.

Pause the video here whilst you to decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This statement is true.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause the video here, and press play to continue.

Excellent.

The reason why that's true is because jobs created by the informal sector do mean that recent migrants due Jakarta can find work, but they are not earning enough to improve their living standards, and they're not learning the skills that are in demand in Jakarta's formal sector.

Well done if you explained that correctly.

You've done brilliantly.

I would now like you to match these challenges to unemployment with their descriptions.

Pause the video here, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

For number one, which is rural to urban migration, it's B.

For number two, which is Jakarta's growth industries, is C.

And for Jakarta's traditional industries, which is three, is A.

Well done if you matched those up correctly.

You've done brilliantly.

Jakarta is a relatively safe city when compared to other global megacities, especially in terms of violent crime.

Jakarta has extremely low levels of murder and violent attacks, and this makes it seem like a safer place than many other cities of its size, particularly for residents and tourists.

While violent crimes are rare, other types of crimes are more common.

Things like theft, such as motorbike snatch theft, where phones or handbags are taken quickly from pedestrians, fraud, including credit card scams, fake products, or dishonest taxi services, and embezzlements, where individuals steal money from their employers, especially in the business sector.

These crimes often affect tourists, businesses, and low-income workers, but they can lead to economic losses and reduce trust in institutions.

So while Jakarta is generally safe from violent crimes, it still faces challenges related to property crime and financial fraud, particularly in its growing economy.

In 2023, most of Jakarta's reported crimes were recorded in South and East Jakarta.

But interestingly, these are areas that are not densely populated, which challenges the idea that more people automatically means more crime.

So why might crime be higher in these areas? Crime isn't always about crowding, it's about opportunity, wealth gaps, and how well an area is planned and managed.

South and Southeast Jakarta are also wealthier areas of the city.

So what does that suggest about crime in Jakarta? Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's take a closer look.

Crime like theft are often linked to high levels of income inequality, and Jakarta is no exception.

Most reported crime in Jakarta happens in wealthier areas, like South and East Jakarta.

And this may be because these areas have more valuable items to steal, like phones, cars, and laptops, and residents are more likely to report crimes to the police and have the means to do so.

But this doesn't mean that crime isn't happening in poorer areas.

It may just be under-reported.

In low-income kampungs, many people do not trust the police or feel reporting won't lead to any action.

This creates a gap in the data, making crime seem more concentrated in wealthier parts of the city.

Crime patterns reflect inequality, both in where crime happens and where it gets recorded.

Trust in services, economic conditions, and opportunity all shape maps of crime in Jakarta.

Which two regions of Jakarta had the highest numbers of recorded crimes in 2023? Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answers are South Jakarta and East Jakarta.

Well done if you identified those correctly.

I would like you to outline two ways in which reducing unemployment is a challenge in Jakarta.

Aisha said, "What's the difference between outline and explain?" And I've said outline is a concise explanation.

You don't need to go into lots of detail.

In your exam, you'll be guided on how much to write by the marks.

A question like this might be two marks for each of the two ways.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answers.

Your answer might include some of the following points.

One reason is that there is a gap between the skills that Jakarta's growing businesses are looking for and the skills that many recent migrants to Jakarta have.

Another reason is that the types of industries that are used to employ a lot of lower-skilled people in Jakarta, such as textile factories, are moving out of the city and also automating jobs that humans use to do.

Well done if you managed to include any of those points in your answer, you've done brilliantly.

We've now come to the end of our learning on Challenges associated with urban growth: people and the economy, and you've done brilliantly.

But before we end this lesson, let's summarise everything we've learned today.

There are challenges associated with providing clean water, sanitation systems, and energy in Jakarta, and there also challenges associated with providing access to health education services in Jakarta, and there are challenges in reducing unemployment and soaring crime rates.

Well done on today's lesson.

You've done brilliantly, and I look forward to standing with you again very soon.