DKI Provincial Government Emphasizes School Graduation Cannot Burden Parents

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Education Office (Disdik) emphasized that graduation or student release activities at all levels of education should not be mandatory activities that burden parents of students.

This provision is contained in Circular Letter Number 56/SE/2026 concerning Graduation or Graduation of Education Participants at the PAUD, SD/Paket A/SDLB, SMP/Paket B/SMPLB, SMA/Paket C/SMALB, and SMK levels issued by the Head of the DKI Jakarta Education Office Nahdiana.

In the circular, schools are asked to hold a simple student release activity and are given priority to be carried out in the school environment.

"The education unit does not make graduation or release activities a mandatory activity and should not burden the parents/guardians of the students," Nahdiana wrote in the circular, quoted on Friday, May 29.

DKI Education also prohibits any collection in the implementation of school graduation. In addition, the student release activity is requested not to be discriminatory.

"The education unit holds graduation or graduation activities for students in the education unit, simply without any levies and without discrimination," said Nahdiana.

This policy was re-issued following the still rampant controversy over school graduation activities which were considered burdensome for parents because of the cost of renting buildings, clothes, and other ceremonial events.

In the circular, the head of the Education Service in each region is also asked to monitor the implementation of graduation activities at schools.

"With the issuance of this circular, the Circular of the Head of the DKI Jakarta Provincial Education Office Number 17/SE/2025 concerning Graduation or Graduation of Education Participants at the PAUD, SD/Package A/SDLB, SMP/Package B/SMPLB, SMA/Package C/SMALB and SMK levels is revoked and declared not applicable," he concluded.