Free 9 years Education, Not Yet

[marcus]

From https://www.detik.com/edu/sekolah/d...k-sd-smp-gratis-mudah-di-pusat-berat-di-daera
Title : Observers' Words on the Constitutional Court's Decision on Free Elementary and Middle Schools: Easy in the Center, Hard in the Regions - free translation
By Cicin Yulianti - detikEdu , May 2025

The Constitutional Court has mandated the Government to make public and private school education free for 9 years.

The decision has raised many questions, one of which is whether the state budget is sufficient for this?

It should be noted that this Constitutional Court's decision confirms the phrase "compulsory education at least at the elementary education level without charging fees" in Article 34 Paragraph (2) of Law Number 20 of 2003 concerning the National Education System (UU Sisdiknas).

Although this Constitutional Court's decision was welcomed by the public, the challenges cannot be ignored, especially regarding the budget ...

Without clear technical guidance and funding schemes, the biggest risk is that this decision stops as a legal text, not a real change ...

As additional information, previously the Constitutional Court stated that Article 31 paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution has a definition that the state is obliged to finance basic education "without limitations regarding the type of school".

"As an illustration, in the 2023/2024 academic year, public schools at the elementary school level were only able to accommodate 970,145 students, while private schools accommodated 173,265 students," said Constitutional Justice Enny Nurbainingsih ...

"Meanwhile, at the junior high school level, public schools are recorded as accommodating 245,977 students, while private schools accommodate 104,525 students," she added ...

 

[pantaiema]

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It seems to me the reference to including private (or national plus schools) in the article might reflect the journalist's personal interpretation rather than a direct ruling from the Court itself. So, It's helpful to see the exact wording of the Constitutional Court's decision to check this bit.

If private or national plus schools were indeed included, it's unclear how such a policy could be practically enforced. In reality, most sensible parents will likely opt for private, national plus, or a few high-quality state run public schools, given their superior quality, discipline, and management. Who are going to pay the salary of the teachers, headmasters, admin staffs of at those private schools ? Keep in mind the staffs in these type of schools are not civil servants, so they are relying on the tuition fee and to some extends the public donation, small subsidy from the state to run the schools. In rural areas where most families are farmers or fishermen, public education is already offered free of tuition fee. The headmasters, teachers won’t be able to impose illegal charges, as they can’t get blood out of a stone.

Even in developed countries where basic education for children is publicly funded, parents still pay if they choose private or independent schools. Take Eton College, in the UK for example; its school fee for the 2024/25 academic year are around £52,749. With a 20% VAT to be applied from January 2025, the cost will rise to roughly £63,000. Parents who want their children to attend Eton will still be responsible for paying those fees, not free.

Free basic education for children is not limited to specific countries like Indonesia (in this case) or only to developed nations, but it applies to all countries that are signatories of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Article 28 of the Convention obligates governments to ensure that primary education is both compulsory and free for all children. However, this obligation clearly refers to public education systems. It does not extend to private schools chosen voluntarily by parents, as in many countries (if not all), parents are still required to pay fees if they opt for private education.

 

[jstar]

the reference to including private (or national plus schools) in the article might reflect the journalist's personal interpretation rather than a direct ruling from the Court itself

Think you’re right.

As so often in Indonesia, you need to read multiple news sources to get the complete picture.

And this is another one:

Indonesian Constitution Court orders government to provide free basic education in all schools

While not restricting certain private schools from charging their students for tuition, the court orders the government to provide a financing policy to ensure inclusive access for elementary education.

asianews.network

And see what it says:
However, the court justices acknowledged that there are private schools offering additional curricula beyond that required by the government, such as international or religious schools. Enny said the government should not force these institutions to provide free education for their students, whose parents are aware of the tuition obligations of enrolling in such schools.

Even the established catholic schools would fall under this exception.

 

[Hawk256]

As so often in Indonesia, you need to read multiple news sources to get the complete picture.

That is getting to be the case everywhere now. Maybe 10 reports from different points of view will give somewhat of an accurate account of the whole story.

 

[pantaiema]

Think you’re right.

As so often in Indonesia, you need to read multiple news sources to get the complete picture.

And this is another one:

Indonesian Constitution Court orders government to provide free basic education in all schools

While not restricting certain private schools from charging their students for tuition, the court orders the government to provide a financing policy to ensure inclusive access for elementary education.

asianews.network

And see what it says:
However, the court justices acknowledged that there are private schools offering additional curricula beyond that required by the government, such as international or religious schools. Enny said the government should not force these institutions to provide free education for their students, whose parents are aware of the tuition obligations of enrolling in such schools.

Even the established catholic schools would fall under this exception.

These are a small the list of expensive schools in Jakarta

https://www.liputan6.com/bisnis/read/5905239/8-sma-termahal-di-jakarta-biaya-sekolah-capai-rp-500-juta-per-tahun?page=3

8 Most Expensive High Schools in Jakarta, School Fees Reach IDR 500 Million per Year

If private schools waive tuition fees, who will fund their operational expenses? Costs such as salaries for teachers, principals, and administrative staff, as well as facility operations and maintenance, are just a few examples.

 

[Mohammad Yusuf]

So basically, the Court says "make all schools free," and the regions are like "cool, just as soon as we find that magic education money tree".

 

[Shadrach]

So basically, the Court says "make all schools free," and the regions are like "cool, just as soon as we find that magic education money tree".

They just need to get some seeds from Western countries. Because Indonesian People think Foreigners are all Rich! That's because in America, There are Money trees everywhere, and all the leaves are $100 bank notes! So when people need anything, they just go out and pick as many as I need! That's why they overcharge them on everything in Indonesia, except food from the Supermarket! Here, We even have to pay to go to a Friggin Beach, or Temple! Give me a Break! In America, the price for anything, even at a local market is the same for all. There is no overcharging People because they have a different skin color, or come from a foreign country!
How about instead of buying so much Military equipment, spend the money on programs, like Schools, Universities, pay teachers a higher wage, set a standard so children cannot advance in Grades until they learned what each grade was supposed to teach them, fix the roads, build bypasses in Bali, because of the overcrowding, and traffic. Make the Plastic producers use biodegradable Substances to make Biodegradable Plastic, clean up all the Pollution on the beaches, roads, rivers, Ocean, Etc!
Educate the People to Stop throwing and Burning the Rubbish everywhere!

 

[serious_fun]

So basically, the Court says "make all schools free," and the regions are like "cool, just as soon as we find that magic education money tree".

Don't forget to keep searching for the "Qualified/Trained Educator Tree" and "Qualified and Competent School Administrator Tree".