Not Prepared For Free School Budget Next Year, DKI Education Office: Not Disagree, But Be Careful

DKI DPRD Commission E Meeting/PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Education Office has not allocated a free school budget in the 2025 APBD draft. In fact, previously the DPRD and DKI Provincial Government agreed that free schools for the private sector could be run for the new school year 2025/2026.

In the proposed budget draft, Disdik DKI only allocates Rp600 million for a free school preparation study. Members of Commission E of the DKI DPRD are also busy questioning Disdik and questioning the commitment of the DKI Provincial Government.

Responding to this, Plt. Head of the DKI Jakarta Education Office, Purwosusilo, admitted that his party was not ready to determine the value of the free school budget. A more in-depth study still has to be done.

"Please allow the honorable ladies and gentlemen. It's not that we don't agree with the free school, but we are in the process. Be careful for all of us," said Purwo during a working meeting at the DKI Jakarta DPRD building, Wednesday, October 23.

Purwo explained several things that were the reason that free schools were not ready to be implemented. First, the DKI Disdik still has to set a target for grade C and D schools that enter the school program for free.

Then, what is the scheme for distributing free school fees to private educational institutions. If using a grant scheme, the DKI Provincial Government still has to develop an accountability system for the allocation of funds deposited to schools.

"What if we have budgeted for free schools now, it turns out that private schools are not ready yet? So, the public is happy, sir. But we have to ask the private school manager first. What kind of socialization, how the shoppers are, and so on," explained Purwo.

Not only that, Purwo emphasized that the free school program currently does not have a rule basis, considering that Regional Regulation (Perda) Number 8 of 2006 concerning the Education System has not been revised. Purwo also asked the DPRD to accelerate the discussion of the revision of the regional regulation.

"So while preparing, there is still time to run from November, December, January-June, we will complete it related to the regulations. What is the main regulation? The education regulation, Regional Regulation Number 8 of 2006 is revised," explained Purwo.

Currently, the DKI Jakarta DPRD and the DKI Provincial Government are preparing a general budget policy and a temporary budget priority ceiling (KUA-PPAS) for the 2025 budget year APBD.

The allocation of the APBD draft next year is being tampered with to be able to run a free school program at private educational institutions in Jakarta.

There was a discourse that the free school budget would be taken from the Jakarta Smart Card (KJP) distribution budget. Thus, the educational assistance program has the potential to be removed because it is diverted to free schools.

However, the DPRD wants KJP to be distributed when free schools are implemented, considering that the educational assistance program is still very much needed by students from underprivileged groups of people.

Thus, temporary, executive and legislative solutions will apply to the central government so that the budget of the DKI Jakarta Education Office can be increased from the composition of the APBD.