Concerned That Elementary School Students Were Punished For Being In Arrears Of SPP, Commission X Of The House Of Representatives Asked Prabowo To Pay Serious Attention

JAKARTA - Member of Commission X DPR RI, Habib Syarief Muhammad Alaydrus highlighted the case of elementary school (SD) students in Medan City, North Sumatra who were sentenced to study on the floor because they had not paid arrears in education development donations (SPP) for three months.

Habib Syarief asked President Prabowo Subianto to pay serious attention. Such incidents should not happen again.

According to him, there is a paradigmatic bias in view of a regulation as if sanctions must be applied immediately when a violation occurs.

"I am sad and concerned. This case must be a lesson for all schools, both public and private. Cases like that should not happen again," said Habib Syarief, Monday, January 13.

Syarief reminded that the legal goal is not only about punishment but there is benefit and justice. It is better, he said, schools can consider the response given based on benefits, especially for students.

"It's not appropriate for elementary school students to be treated like that just because they haven't paid tuition arrears," he stressed.

With such punishment, according to him, the student is tantamount to being humiliated in front of his friends. Obviously it hurts the soul of the child who gets the punishment.

"Indeed, the elementary school student did not get physical violence, but the child's mentality was injured with the punishment of studying on the floor. The student must be ashamed to get the law in front of other students," continued Syarief.

The legislator from the West Java I electoral district also emphasized that the payment of the SPP is an adult's business and responsibility, not the children's business. So, he said, the SPP is a matter for students' parents and schools.

"It's the child's job to learn, not to think about tuition fees. Schools must treat all students with the same treatment," said the politician with the ulama background.

If there are students who have not paid the tuition fees, said Syarief, schools should speak carefully with students' parents. If the student's parents really can't pay because they don't have money, according to him, it can be reported to the education office.

Moreover, Syarief explained, the student was the recipient of the Smart Indonesia Program (PIP) funds. It's just that at the end of 2024, the PIP funds have not been disbursed.

"So, the school should be able to wait for the disbursement of the PIP from the government. The problem can actually be resolved by communicating between the school and the parents and the education office," explained Habib Syarief.

Therefore, Syarief assessed that President Prabowo must pay serious attention to this case. He hopes that no more schools will punish his students for not paying tuition fees.

Schools, he added, must be wiser in overcoming educational problems so as not to sacrifice children.

"All children have the right to get proper educators. President Prabowo pays serious attention to the advancement of education in Indonesia," he concluded.

As reported, a fourth grade student of private elementary school in Medan City, initials MA, was sentenced to study on the floor by his teacher because he had not paid arrears in education coaching donations (SPP) for 3 months, with a total cost of Rp. 180,000.