Why the Target of Free Schools in Jakarta Decreased from 258 to 100? This is the DKI Provincial Government's Reason

Illustration of learning activities at school (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The DKI Provincial Government will add the number of private schools in Jakarta that will be included in the free school program to 100 schools. In 2025, the DKI Provincial Government has carried out a free school trial in 40 private schools. This trial includes 4,932 students from 142 study groups which are the first class or new generation.

This was conveyed by the Head of the DKI Jakarta Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) Atika Nur Rahmania in the presentation of the APBD.

"Regarding free schools, we have increased from 40 schools to 100 schools in 2026. So it is not reduced, even increased to 100 schools and every year we will try to increase according to the financial capacity of the region," said Atika at the DKI Jakarta City Hall, Wednesday, January 21.

Atika admitted that there was a reduction in the target for the addition of free schools this year. In August 2025, the DKI Provincial Government set a target for the program to be able to target 258 private schools.

However, now the DKI Provincial Government is only planning to increase the number of free schools to 100 schools. This target reduction is due to the reduction of transfer funds to the regions (TKD) from the central government which includes revenue sharing funds (DBH) of up to Rp. 15 trillion.

Where, initially, the DKI Jakarta Regional Budget for 2026 was planned to touch around Rp. 95 trillion. However, due to the decrease in the value of transfer funds, the Regional Budget was reduced to only Rp. 81.3 trillion. The DKI Provincial Government was also forced to reduce the budget ceiling for a number of programs carried out this year.

"That is indeed from the plan of 250 free schools, because there is a significant reduction in DBH, of course we have to rationalize the number. So the factor is indeed because of the reduction in income from DBH," said Atika.

Previously, the DKI Jakarta DPRD Budget Agency (Banggar) asked the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government not to reduce and maintain the number of private schools that are prioritized to be included in the free school program in Jakarta next year.

"The DKI Jakarta Provincial DPRD recommends that free private schools should not be reduced, even increased in number to exceed 105 schools as the target for 2026. The 2026 target discussed in Commission E is 258. It turns out that only 105 were approved," said Member of the Banggar DPRD DKI Jakarta, Ramli Muhamad, some time ago.

Ramli assessed that the policy of free private schools is important to expand access to quality education for children who have not been accommodated in state schools.

According to him, the expansion of this free school program must be a priority in the allocation of next year's education budget. According to him, the Education Office and the Regional Government Budget Team (TAPD) need to find additional sources of funds so that the target for the expansion of the program can be achieved.

"The Jakarta Provincial DPRD asks the Education Service together with the TAPD to find additional allocation of funds for the expansion of the private school program from 105 to 258," he said.