Ombudsman Explores Report On Alleged Maladministration Of PPDB In Padang

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

The Ombudsman Representative of West Sumatra Province (West Sumatra) continues to investigate six reports that entered the institution related to allegations of maladministration of New Student Admissions (PPDB) for the 2023/2024 school year in Padang City.

"There have been consultations, supervision includes reports submitted to the West Sumatra Representative Ombudsman," said Head of the West Sumatra Representative Ombudsman Hefri Heriani as quoted by Antara, Saturday, July 8.

Yefri said, from the reports that came in, some of them connected PPDB with various types of payments that had to be made by parents of students.

For example, the committee or PPDB organizers require payment of books, school uniforms to school committee fees.

"In fact, this action is not justified," he asserted.

He said several findings had been or were in the process of handling the West Sumatra Ombudsman (checked).

Not only that, the institution in charge of supervising public services also issued a number of suggestions or recommendations.

"One of the advice of the West Sumatra Ombudsman is to return the committee money to the student's guardian," he said.

According to him, the committee's money is more appropriate to be paid when the teaching and learning process has started.

Therefore, the policy of asking for committee money during the PPDB process is considered off the mark.

Some of the reports that came to the Ombudsman came from various levels of the education unit in Padang City.

Both junior high school (SMP) and high school (SMA) with various cases such as sales of clothes uniforms and book sales.

Specifically for handling PPDB, the West Sumatra Ombudsman responded quickly considering that the new student admission period was not so long. This means that the reporter simply came to the Ombudsman to hand over the KTP-E and told the chronology of the incident.

With these two stages, the Ombudsman is sufficient or can follow up on allegations of maladministration during the PPDB process.