Ijazah's detention is a form of violation of children's rights

JAKARTA - The case of the detention of diplomas and Certificate of Completion (SKL) continues to occur. This case marks that the education financing system has not sided with children, especially children from poor and vulnerable families.

The 2025/2026 school year officially ended. This should be an exciting moment for all learners, especially those who continue to the next level of education.

However, in the field, not a few students are confused because the school holds their certificates and SKL. The existence of school fees arrears is the cause of the practice of holding certificates and SKL.

In West Java, Governor Dedi Mulyadi said there were 335,109 student diplomas that had not been redeemed at private schools. In North Sumatra, the Ombudsman opened a complaint post related to the detention of diplomas due to arrears of SPP, parting money, to conflicts between schools and parents.

Meanwhile, in Riau, the Ombudsman found that 11,856 state high school and vocational high school diplomas were still stored at the school.

The National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) Ubaid Matraji said that the practice of withholding diplomas and SKL was a form of violation of children's rights. He emphasized that graduation documents should not be used as a tool to pressure to collect outstanding education costs.

"This is very serious, because it happens when children need the document to apply to school, college, scholarships, or work. A diploma is not a tool for extortion. Don't hold your child's future hostage because the state fails to fund education," Ubaid said in a statement received by VOI.

The case of the detention of diplomas and SKL is not the first time it has happened. Similar incidents almost happen every year. Not long ago, news about the detention of diplomas and SKL was back in the spotlight.

Dio Aprianto, an alumnus of SMK Karya Bhakti Brebes, has not received a diploma even though he has graduated since 2020. As a result, he cannot continue his higher education. The alleged detention of the diploma is due to the student still having a debt of up to Rp. 3.6 million.

Similar cases have also occurred in a number of major cities, such as Jakarta. The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government even carried out a bleaching program for 2,026 diplomas on National Education Day (Hardiknas) with a budget of almost Rp. 4 billion.

In Banten, Deputy Governor Dimyati Natakusumah intervened to mediate the case of a student's certificate who was unable to afford it, which had been held for about two years at a private school.

Meanwhile, in Banyuwangi, East Java, there are allegations that dozens of student diplomas are held back due to financial administrative issues such as development donations, PKL costs, and other levies.

The series of cases shows that the detention of diplomas and SKL is not just a technical problem at school. This is a sign that the education financing system has not sided with children, especially children from poor and vulnerable families.

"If cases like this appear in various provinces, it means that the problem is no longer casuistic. This is a systemic problem. The state requires school children, but the burden of the cost is still thrown to the family. When parents are unable to pay, the child is sacrificed," said Ubaid.

According to JPPI, this practice is very detrimental to students. This is because, during the New Student Admission Selection (SPMB), the SKL and diploma become important documents to continue education to the next level. Likewise, in the process of entering college through SNBP and SNBT, the graduation document becomes an important part of the administrative process. When the document is withheld, the child loses the opportunity to access his or her educational rights.

"This is not a matter of ordinary administration. Children can fail to participate in SPMB, fail to register for advanced schools, fail to enter the campus, fail to access the KIP Lecture, or fail to apply for a job. The impact is very long. Schools that hold diplomas are closing the future of children," said Ubaid.

Broadly seen, the root of this problem is no longer just a problem of arrears between parents and schools. In the perspective of the right to education, school fees should not be imposed on parents, especially at the compulsory education level.

"Don't just make a 13-year-old compulsory learning program, but the cost is thrown to parents. If the state requires school children, then the state must also finance it," he said.

"It is unfair when the government requires education, but poor families are still left to bear the burden of taxes, fees, SPP, activity money, and various other costs that eventually accumulate into arrears," Ubaid added.

JPPI assessed that the phenomenon of withholding diplomas and SKL indicates that the 13-year Compulsory Education has not been accompanied by adequate financing design. The government encourages children to go to school to the middle level, but has not guaranteed that all education costs are actually borne by the state. As a result, poor families still bear the burden, schools still charge, and children become the last victims.

"This is a big irony. The government talks about compulsory education, but the cost of education is still charged to the public. If parents can't afford it, the child is punished. This is a misunderstanding," Ubaid emphasized.

"School fees arrears should be the responsibility of the government, not a reason for schools to hold children's diplomas hostage," he said.