Maladministration Of PPDB 4 SMAN In South Sumatra, Ombudsman Asks 4 Principals To Be Sanctioned By Acting Governor Agus

Illustration of high school students. (Between)

The Ombudsman submitted a report on the alleged maladministration of New Student Registration (PPDB) in 4 schools in Palembang City to the Provincial Government (Pemprov) of South Sumatra (Sumsel).

The four schools are SMAN 2, 10, 11 and 22 Palembang. The submission of the final report on the corrective maladministration examination results (LAHP) was also handed over to the four school principals concerned with being reported.

"Regarding the 2023/2024 PPDB Technical Guidelines issued by the South Sumatra Provincial Education Office in the percentage of admissions and self-test lines, the written test method contradicts Permendikbud No. 1 of 2021 and South Sumatra Governor Regulation No. 13 of 2021," said Head of the Ombudsman Representative Office of the Republic of Indonesia Representative of South Sumatra M Adrian Agustiansyah in his statement, Wednesday, January 17, confiscated by Antara.

Adrian said that the findings of this maladministration stemmed from the results of the supervision and initiative of the Ombudsman who found a number of violations.

He explained that for schools, it was found that the class X student data was received only based on the policy of the principal. The student was accepted without selection procedures and his graduation was not officially announced on the school website.

Adrian said this was a form of maladministration in public services. The Ombudsman, he said, conveyed corrective actions that must be carried out.

Therefore, he continued, the Ombudsman requested that the Acting Governor of South Sumatra Agus Fatoni impose guidance sanctions on the Head of the High School Office and Head of the South Sumatra Education Office and principals of SMAN 2, 10, 11 and 22 Palembang. They were proven to have deviated from procedures, and ordered the South Sumatra Education Office to immediately design the 2024/2025 PPDB Technical Guidelines in accordance with applicable regulations.

"The handover of this LAHP is a form of our responsibility to the community. We hope that the LAHP is corrective with the findings of maladministration that we have conveyed can be followed up for a maximum of 30 days. Hopefully the provincial government can follow up properly so that this report can be completed at the provincial level, there is no need until the central level of the Ombudsman recommendation is issued," he said.

The South Sumatra Ombudsman hopes that the South Sumatra Provincial Government will be more proactive in the process of completing the report.

"We ask that the provincial government can be coordinative and proactive because we fully submit sanctions in the process of completing the report, and of course the South Sumatra Ombudsman is ready to open up for further discussions," said Adrian.

Plt. Head of the South Sumatra Provincial Education Office, Sutoko, added that currently his party is working as hard as possible to evaluate existing technical instructions by replacing new technical instructions according to applicable regulations.

"The commitment to implement PPDB for the 2024/2025 High School Level in the juknis we are designing, as initial information on self-tests with a written test method as this year will be abolished according to the prohibition as ordered by Permendikbud No. 1 of 2021," he said.

Plt. Assistant I for Government and People's Welfare of the South Sumatra Regional Secretariat, Edward Chandra, said that his party would immediately follow up on the corrective LAHP provided by the South Sumatra Indonesian Ombudsman.

"Regarding the Ombudsman's LAHP which contains findings of maladministration and corrective steps, of course the South Sumatra Provincial Government will immediately follow up and complete it at the provincial level, without the need for an old process. This is a good encouragement for the provincial government through the Education Office in the future to immediately complete the PPDB Technical Guidelines for 2024/2025 in accordance with applicable regulations, and most importantly, of course, a joint commitment from all parties," he said.