Target This Year, Jakarta's Free Private School Will Be Tested In 40 Schools

DOK ANTARA

JAKARTA - The free private school program in Jakarta is targeted to start this year. However, the DKI Provincial Government will still conduct trials in 40 schools. This was agreed upon from the results of discussions between the DKI Provincial Government and the Pramono-Rano transition team.

Apart from being a joint decision with the DKI DPRD since last year, this free school program has also been included in Pramono Anung-Rano Karno's flagship program in the first 100 days leading Jakarta.

"The transition team can only say that we have managed 40 schools (who will try out free schools) with Disdik. But we cannot open the names of the schools," said the head of the communication sector for the Pramono Anung-Rano Karno transition team, Chico Hakim, when contacted, Wednesday, February 18.

This free school program, continued Chico, will be implemented after Pramono-Rano is inaugurated as Governor-Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, precisely during the new academic year 2025/2026.

"The new school year is July, but later it will be launched, it seems that it will be announced on May 1, National Education Day," he explained.

In preparation for the free school program, the DKI Provincial Government is still finalizing the academic paper for the revision of Regional Regulation (Perda) Number 8 of 2006 concerning the Implementation and Management of Education. This revision of the regional regulation is the legal umbrella for free schools which will run in the new academic year 2025/2026.

Regarding budgeting, the Acting Head of the DKI Jakarta Education Office, Sarjoko, admitted that the DKI Provincial Government has not allocated a special budget for free school programs. It could be that the budget allocation is included in the Jakarta Smart Card (KJP) Plus program ceiling.

"One alternative (including the KJP budget). We can't confirm how the financing will be, but we encourage the procurement process to be completed first, then we will discuss the financing scheme again with TAPD," he explained.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chairperson of the DKI Jakarta DPRD Regional Regulation Formation Agency Jhonny Simanjuntak urged the DKI Provincial Government to immediately complete the academic paper for the revision of the Education Regulation. That way, the implementation of free schools has definite legal rules.

"If the study is quickly submitted by the executive, we can immediately execute it. We have conveyed it to the Education Office," said Jhonny.

Jhonny emphasized that the Bapemperda of the DKI DPRD is ready to revise Regional Regulation Number 8 of 2006 and include regulations regarding free private schools.

"We are very ready. We will even be proactive in responding to this (free school). We will communicate with the Education Office and related matters. So Bapemperda is very ready to make the priority scale a priority scale," he said.