Koja Residents Protest DKI Jakarta SPMB, Children Living Near Schools Are Not Accepted

Koja, North Jakarta - A number of residents of Koja, North Jakarta, complained about the implementation of the DKI Jakarta New Student Admission System (SPMB) for the 2026/2027 Academic Year which began on Monday, June 15, 2026.

Complaints arose after a number of prospective elementary school students were not accepted at a school whose location is close to their residence. In fact, some residents' houses are right around the school environment.

The head of RW 014 Tugu Utara Village, Nur Syamsu, said he received a report from residents whose children failed to be accepted at SDN Tugu Utara 22, even though their houses were very close to the school.

"I received a report from residents, he said there were several children who were not accepted at the Tugu Utara 22 Koja SDN school, North Jakarta, even though their house was directly adjacent to the school. But strangely, there are children whose houses are far from the school location are accepted," said Nur Syamsu when confirmed, Thursday (18/6/2026).

According to Syamsu, SDN Tugu Utara 22 is located in RW 014 which borders directly with RT 04, RT 05, RT 06, RT 07, and RT 08. Therefore, he assessed that residents in the area should be included in the priority zone for acceptance.

However, based on the information he received, only residents of RT 07 were included in the priority category.

"All residents around the school should be in the priority zone. But the ones who are counted are only in the priority zone," he said.

Feeling there was something wrong, Syamsu went to the location of the selection at SMPN 30 North Jakarta to ask for an explanation regarding the system used in the new student admission process.

He admitted that he was disappointed because there were prospective students over 7 years old who lived near the school but were not accepted.

"Grouping zoning is wrong, and it has been going on for almost three to four years like that. In the end, residents whose houses are close to the school are not accepted even though they are over 7 years old, while other residents whose houses are far away and even different neighborhoods are accepted," he said.

Syamsu hopes that the government can provide opportunities for children who live around the school to obtain priority admission.

"So I deliberately came to straighten it out so that children who live near the school can be accepted," he added.

In addition, he asked the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government to re-evaluate the zoning system applied in the SPMB.

"The one who makes zoning has to change, check and study again. Residents who live near schools, such as in RT 04, 05, 06, 07, and 08, should be prioritized. It is a pity for the poor if they are not accepted in state schools and have to go to private schools. They can't afford it and eventually the children are at risk of not going to school or dropping out of school," he said.

Responding to the complaint, the Head of the Elementary School Section of the North Jakarta Education District II, Mulyadi, explained that the SPMB for the 2026/2027 Academic Year was carried out through three stages of selection, namely the domicile level, the RW level, and the village level.

"For children who do not enter through the first stage, namely domicile, they can try again through the RW and village levels. Hopefully they can enter, but of course there will be competition," said Mulyadi.