DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Indonesian Lawmaker: Reinstating High School Fees is a Step Backward

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • A proposal to reintroduce tuition fees (SPP) for public high schools in West Java, Indonesia, has drawn criticism.
  • A member of the House of Representatives argues this move would be a step backward, burdening low-income families.
  • He urged the West Java provincial government and the Ministry of Education to find alternative funding solutions.

A proposal to reintroduce tuition fees, known as Sumbangan Pembinaan Pendidikan (SPP), for public high schools and vocational schools in West Java, Indonesia, has sparked criticism. Habib Syarief Muhammad, a member of the House of Representatives' Commission X, views the potential reactivation of school fees as a regression in education. He argued that the government should focus on expanding educational access for all citizens rather than shifting the financial burden back to the public. "Education is a basic right of citizens," Syarief stated on Friday, July 17, 2026. "Therefore, the state must continue to strive to provide free and quality education."

While acknowledging potential operational funding challenges faced by some public schools in West Java, Syarief emphasized that solutions should not burden parents. Many families choose public high schools precisely because of lower or free costs. Reintroducing SPP would disproportionately affect low-income households. The politician from the National Awakening Party urged the West Java provincial government to thoroughly review the SPP reactivation proposal. He also called for optimizing existing funding sources, such as school operational assistance funds, regional fiscal support, and other non-burdening financing schemes.

Education is a basic right of citizens. Therefore, the state must continue to strive to provide free and quality education.

— Habib Syarief MuhammadExplaining his stance against reintroducing tuition fees for public high schools.

Furthermore, Syarief requested the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to supervise educational funding issues in the regions. He asserted that it is the central government's responsibility to support regional areas, ensuring educational services continue without imposing costs on the public. "Don't let each region make its own policies, which ultimately increase education costs," Syarief warned, advocating for a unified approach to educational funding nationwide.

Don't let each region make its own policies, which ultimately increase education costs.

— Habib Syarief MuhammadWarning against decentralized policies that could raise educational expenses.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog