Provincial Government Says All Jakarta High Schools Have Removed Departments Of IPA, IPS And Languages This Year

Illustration of school children. (Between)

Acting Head of the DKI Jakarta Education Office (Disdik) Budi Awaluddin said all schools in Jakarta had implemented the Merdeka Curriculum in the 2024/2025 school year.

Thus, all high schools in Jakarta have removed the IPA, IPS, and Language majors starting in class XI this year. This is in response to the abolition of majors that are widely discussed by the public.

"In the 2024/2025 class year, all high schools have applied the Merdeka Curriculum," Budi told reporters, Friday, July 19.

Budi explained that this new provision is contained in the Regulation of the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) number 12 of 2024.

"In the curriculum structure section in class XI, it consists of general subjects and selected subjects," said Budi.

In the guide, students are given the freedom to choose 5 selected subjects and at least 4 subjects based on interests, talents, abilities, and continuation after high school.

"The basis for this policy is that students have many opportunities to enter majors or concentrate on higher education," he explained.

The Ministry of Education and Culture recently announced the abolition of majors IPA, IPS, and Language in SMA starting in the 2024/2025 school year. This policy reaps many pros and cons.

The reason for the Department of IPA, IPS, and Language Removed The main reason behind the elimination of this department is the injustice that has been happening in the whole system.

Many parents, especially from the upper middle class, tend to choose to major in the IPA for their children on the assumption that this department opens up more opportunities in universities and the world of work.

Thus, this causes imbalance in the number of students between majors, with IPS majors and languages that are increasingly empty of interest.

Students in grade 10 will focus on developing their interests and talents through various subjects and activities, and only in grade 11 will they choose more specific selected subjects according to their study and career plans.