Indonesian Lawmakers Urge Government to Reassess School Distribution Amidst Low Enrollment

Indonesian lawmakers are calling for a strategic reassessment of educational institution distribution as a growing number of public schools struggle with critically low student enrollment. The phenomenon of sparsely populated state schools is not solely due to a decline in public interest, according to Deputy Chairman of Commission X of the House of Representatives, Lalu Hadrian Irfani.

Irfani pointed to several contributing factors, including a declining birth rate, population migration, the disproportionate geographical spread of schools, and the varying quality and competitiveness of educational institutions. "Factors such as declining birth rates, population shifts, disproportionate school distribution, and the quality and competitiveness of educational institutions all influence this situation," he explained.

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Factors such as declining birth rates, population shifts, disproportionate school distribution, and the quality and competitiveness of educational institutions all influence this situation.

To address this, the government must conduct accurate mapping in each region to ensure policies align with community needs. "From our perspective, the government needs to carefully reorganize the distribution of educational institutions while prioritizing children's right to access education," Irfani stated. He stressed the importance of evaluating potential school mergers, enhancing learning quality, ensuring equitable teacher distribution, and strengthening facilities and infrastructure in a measurable way.

This comprehensive approach should involve regional governments and the community to ensure solutions are not only cost-effective but also guarantee optimal educational services. As the 2026/2027 academic year begins, several public schools across Indonesia, including examples in Bandar Lampung and Semarang, have reported receiving only a handful of new students, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

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From our perspective, the government needs to carefully reorganize the distribution of educational institutions while prioritizing children's right to access education.