Academic Degree is No Longer a Guarantee: Shift in Parents' Perspective after the Announcement of SNBP 2026

JAKARTA - After the announcement of the results of the National Selection Based on Achievement (SNBP) 2026, Indonesia's digital public space was not only enlivened by the euphoria of graduation, but also by the emergence of new concerns among parents. In the past week, conversations on various social media platforms such as Threads and X, to daily discussions, showed a shift in views on higher education and children's futures.

Data shows that of the 806,242 students who applied for SNBP this year, only about 178,981 students were declared successful. Behind these numbers, hundreds of thousands of prospective students have to find other alternatives to continue their education.

However, public attention is no longer focused solely on who passed and who did not. The growing discussion began to touch on something more fundamental: to what extent is higher education still relevant in answering today's labor challenges.

In various conversations that have emerged, more and more parents have begun to question the effectiveness of large educational investments if they are not accompanied by real job readiness. The issue of undergraduate graduates who are unemployed or working in fields that are not relevant to their studies has also resurfaced and become a material for joint reflection.

This anxiety is also triggered by the reality that even professions that have long been considered stable and promising are not completely free from the risk of unemployment. This encourages parents to start thinking again not only about the majors or campuses chosen, but also about the long-term career direction of the child.

If previously the main focus was to ensure that children entered the "dream" major or profession, now a new awareness is beginning to emerge. Parents are increasingly aware that the reality of the industry, the needs of the labor market, and the dynamics of the economy must be the main consideration from the beginning.

This change has given birth to a new approach in looking at higher education. Parents are no longer just chasing the big names of campuses, but are starting to look for institutions that are able to equip students to become human resources ready to face the world of work.

Some factors that are now the main concern include:* Curriculum relevance, namely the extent to which learning materials are able to meet the needs of the future industry * Practical ecosystem, such as integrated internship programs and connections with the world of work * Development of soft skills, including communication, adaptation, and leadership skills

This phenomenon marks that higher education is now increasingly positioned as a long-term strategic investment, not just an academic achievement.

For many families, the question that arises now has become much more complex. It is no longer just "where is my child studying?", but "is the education chosen really able to bring children to be prepared for the professional world?"

In the future, the challenge for educational institutions in Indonesia lies not only in accepting new students, but also in the ability to prove that they can be a real bridge between the academic world and the world of work.

In the midst of an increasingly competitive and uncertain landscape, institutions that are able to provide direction, relevance, and career readiness from an early age are predicted to be the top choice for parents in determining the future of their children's education.