DKI Disdik Affirms No Neutral Gender Toilets In Schools

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Education Office (Disdik) emphasized that schools are not allowed to create neutral gender toilets, namely for male and female students.

"That is not allowed, in accordance with the standard rules of facilities and infrastructure (sarpras) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology," said Acting Head of the DKI Jakarta Education Office, Purwosusilo, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 9.

The policy refers to the Regulation of the Minister of Education and Culture (Permendiknas) Number 24 of 2007 concerning Facilities and Infrastructure Standards for Elementary Schools/Ibtidaiyah Madrasah (SD/MI), Tsanawiyah Junior High Schools/Madrasah (SMP/MTS), and Upper High School/Madrasah Aliyah (SMA/MA).

In the Permendiknas Number 24 of 2007, the minimum is one latrine unit for every 40 male students, one latrine unit for every 30 female students and one latrine unit for teachers at the SMP/SMA/MTs/MA level. The minimum number of latrines in each school/madrasah for SMP/SMA/MTs/MA level is three units.

Previously, artist Daniel Mananta in the broadcast program mentioned the existence of a neutral gender toilet in an international school in Jakarta.

Hearing the news, the DKI Education Office immediately checked the truth.

"Everyone has provided data. So the cooperation education unit, there are 59 junior high schools, 43 high schools. Everything is 'clear', there are only two types of toilets or latrines, namely for men and women," said Purwosusilo.

International schools in Jakarta, said Purwosusilo, are members of the cooperation education unit (SPK). So far, each school part of the SPK has reported the facilities and infrastructure in their building.

Purwosusilo emphasized that this examination does not cover all international private schools in DKI.

Disdik DKI plans to hold a virtual meeting through the Zoom Meeting application to ask each school about this.

"The standard is, so if the facilities at the school we have the Permendikbud, there is a standard for sarpras, there is a standard for graduates' competence, there is a standard content," he asserted.

According to Purwosusilo, schools should be a good educational place for students so that they ask school managers to comply with existing regulations.