Jokowi Considers Removing PPDB Zoning, Federation Of Teachers Asks To Be Maintained

Elementary School Student Inpres Motaain, Silawan Village, Belu Regency, NTT Province poses with BEM UI and teaching staff/ANTARA

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo is demonstrating deleting the zoning system in accepting new students (PPDB). However, the Federation of Indonesian Teachers' Unions (FSGI) asked that this system be maintained. The government's consideration of the elimination of PPDB zoning is motivated by fraud in its implementation, such as the phenomenon of moving families for prospective students to be accepted to the desired school. However, the Chairman of the FSGI Expert Council, Retno Listyarti, emphasized that the root of the zoning system problem was not because of fraud or not, but because of the lack of public schools, especially junior high schools, high schools, and public vocational schools in various parts of Indonesia. "If the PPDB zoning system will be replaced, does it guarantee that the majority of Indonesian children aged in school will be accommodated in public schools? Given that the number of public schools is indeed limited. There are no additions to SMAN and SMKN and even SMPN for decades," said Retno in his statement, Tuesday, August 15. Retno is of the view that the implementation of the zoning system since 2017 is more profitable than the old system. Given, the zoning system prevents favorite schools from being filled only by students from being able to have high academic grades. Thus, FSGI asked Jokowi to maintain the zoning system and urged the construction of new state junior high schools, high schools and vocational schools in areas that do not have public schools. "FSGI encourages local governments to immediately plan the construction of new public schools, especially public junior high schools for municipal governments/regency governments. For provincial governments, the number of high schools and public schools in their areas is blank spots or there are no public schools," explained Retno. Then, FSGI also urged local governments to improve the population system, especially related to the transfer of family cards. This is because the case of KK transfer fraud in order to get the desired school in the zoning system shows the weakness of the population and verification system.

Previously, President Joko Widodo said the government was considering whether to continue or remove the zoning system in the implementation of PPDB. “(Meanwhile) considered. It will be checked in depth pluses and minuses first,” said Jokowi when met after testing the light train or Jabodetabek LRT at Dukuh Atas Station, Thursday 10 August.