Central Java DPRD Asks High School Dropout Rates To Be Attention

Deputy Chairman of the Central Java DPRD Heri Pudyatmoko/Photo: Antara

SEMARANG - Deputy Chairman of the Central Java Regional House of Representatives, Heri Pudyatmoko, asked that the high rate of children dropping out of school be a concern for the local provincial government and related agencies.

"The Central Java Provincial Government must be able to oversee education policies, both budget planning and coordination with stakeholders", he said in Semarang, Monday, February 14.

The Gerindra Party politician said that every year there are at least 45,000 children in Central Java who do not go to school or drop out of school because of financial problems.

According to him, the most recorded dropout cases were high school students with one of the main factors being the community's economic problems, especially in Central Java, several areas are included in the data as areas with extreme poverty.

"Today, in Central Java, aged 16-18 years, who should be in high school or equivalent, 67.9 percent are not in school, which is quite a high number", he said.

According to him, the high number of dropouts for high school students or equivalent is the result of many choosing to work, migrate, or other options such as early marriage because their parents' economy declined during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Heri said that a total of 19 regions were included in the priority of extreme poverty, but in 2022 five regions had extremely poor people so they must be handled quickly and appropriately.

The five districts are Kebumen, Brebes, Banjarnegara, Pemalang, and Banyumas.

Therefore, he continued, the Central Java Provincial Government must cooperate with several parties to work together to solve the problem of extreme poverty in several areas in Central Java to anticipate the problem of the high dropout rate.

"The provincial government has the responsibility and duty to reduce extreme poverty, including the issue of uninhabitable housing, provision of adequate latrines or sanitation, fulfillment of clean water, access to education, access to health, and adequate lighting or electricity", he said.