Consider The Constitutional Court To Decide On Free SD-SMP Budget Reallocation Moments, Deputy Minister Of Education And Culture: This Is Related To DPR Support

Deputy Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (Wamendikdasmen) Fajar Rizal Ul Haq said that the revision of the National Education System (Sidiknas) Law could be a solution to overcome structural problems in the world of national education.

Fajar admits that many educational problems currently have roots in structural issues, including regulations, one of which is the difference in rules between the decentralistic Ministry of Education and the centralistic Ministry of Religion (Kemenag).

"The revision of the Sisdiknas Law is expected to solve some structural problems in education because the problems are interrelated," said Fajar in a seminar entitled Realizing the Mandate of the Constitution, Free Basic Education to Improve Jakarta Competitive Superior Human Resources, Monday, June 30, which was confiscated by Antara.

In addition, Fajar also stated that the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) Number 3/PUU-XXII/2024 related to free basic education (SD-SMP), both public and private, would be a crucial momentum for improving the education sector.

Another thing he highlighted was the issue of managing the education budget. The Ministry of Education only manages 4.6 percent of the total education budget, the rest spread directly to local institutions and governments.

"We hope that, with the Constitutional Court's decision, it can encourage consolidation and refocusing and reallocation of the budget. This is related to support in the legislature [DPR]," he said.

The Deputy Minister of Education and Culture also emphasized that education does not only focus on school buildings and teachers, but nature can also be a place to study.

"We must agree that education is to equip children with character and skills so that they can live independently. So, educational output must be heterogeneous according to conditions. That is what we will direct," he explained.

He also said that the Ministry of Education and Culture would introduce an optional academic competency test (TKA) for formal and informal schools.

The seminar was opened by Constitutional Court (MK) Judge Arief Hidayat as his keynote speaker.

The activity also presented speakers, including Deputy Minister of Basic and Medium Education Fajar Rizal Ul Haq, Director General of Budget at the Ministry of Finance Lucky Alfirman represented by Expert Staff for State Expenditures Suprapto, and Head of the BRIN Social and Humanities Science Research Organization Yan Rianto.