PPDB Maladministration, DPRD Asks DKI Provincial Government To Accelerate Free School Studies

Illustration of PPDB (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Komis E Member of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Sholikhah, asked the DKI Provincial Government to accelerate the preparation of a study on the implementation of free schools in Jakarta, especially in private schools.

According to Solikhah, free schools can solve problems in accepting new students (PPDB). Given, the Indonesian Ombudsman found allegations of maladministration in the implementation of PPDB this year in a number of regions.

"It's time for the DKI Government to be present to make it free for elementary to public and private high school students," Sholikhah said in Jakarta, Monday, July 15.

The free school program, continued Solikhah, is expected to reduce the gap between the poor and the underprivileged. Thus, equality of education in Jakarta can be realized even though students from underprivileged families cannot attend public schools.

"Schools that are qualified middle to lower levels, so that there are no polemics that are always present during PPDB and so that there is no discrimination of wealth and poverty, it must be free of charge," said Sholikhah.

The Ombudsman revealed a number of findings related to the implementation of PPDB for the 2024/2025 academic year. Among them are the practice of washing money or changing values to increase school prestige to data manipulation in order to outsmart the zoning route.

"We found that there were still many implementations in the field that were not in accordance with the guidelines of Permendikbud Number 1 of 2021 and the Decree of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Education and Culture Number 47 of 2023 in the implementation of this PPDB," said RI Ombudsman Member Indraza Marzuki Rais in a statement quoted from the official website.

Indraza then detailed that his institution had received public complaints regarding the implementation of PPDB. In detail, there were allegations of administration as much as 51 percent; not providing services 13 percent; inability 12 percent; discrimination 11 percent; delays protracted 7 percent; request for compensation for money, goods and services 2 percent; not 2 percent; and abuse of authority 2 percent.

Meanwhile, based on the selection of the PPDB pathway, the number of complaints on the achievement path is 141 reports, the zoning route is 138 reports, there is no information on 130 reports, 47 affirmations and 11 Parents' Transfers (PTO) reports.

"In the zoning route, there is a wrong understanding of both the juklak and the technical guidelines for determining the zone where so far there are still many who use the distance even though they can also use the zone area. For affirmation, it should also not only be for children who are less fortunate economically but also applies to friends with disabilities," he said.

One of the reports that are included in the achievement path is the practice of washing report cards or changing values in order to increase school prestige. In addition, there is no transparency in measuring and announcing the score of the achievement path assessment.

"So there are various problems such as the existence of a hammer academic certificate to the entry of students entrusted based on the path of achievement which leads to the addition of classes or study groups," said Indraza.