Parents protest score reductions in Bandung school admissions

The registration process for Sekolah Maung, a human excellence school in Bandung, has been marred by controversy over score reductions for prospective students. Several parents attempted to meet with West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi at his residence in Subang to voice their complaints but were unsuccessful.

Sophie, a parent, expressed her frustration, stating, "I have a grievance because my questions were not answered. Where did my child's score drop from 370 to 319?" She had registered her child, a former student council president, for Sekolah Maung at SMAN 5 Bandung through the non-academic prestasi pathway. The scoring system allocated 40 percent to the average report card scores from junior high school and 60 percent to the weight of the student council president certificate.

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I have a grievance because my questions were not answered. Where did my child's score drop from 370 to 319?

The registration period ran from May 25-29, with results announced on June 8, 2026. Sophie monitored the System for New Student Admissions (SPMB) website. Between June 2 and June 4, her child was in the last position within the 64-person quota with a final score of 370.40. However, upon checking again on June 4 around 7 a.m., her child's position had changed, and the final score dropped to 319.40.

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Why did the score calculation change after verification was complete?

After inquiring with the school and the West Java Education Office, Sophie and three other parents with similar experiences approached Governor Dedi Mulyadi. According to Sophie, the score for a student council president equivalent to a first-place winner at the Ministry of Education level was 305 for the provincial region. Her child, however, was categorized as outside the ministry level, resulting in a score of 220. "Why did the score calculation change after verification was complete?" she questioned.

Responding to public concern and speculation, the West Java Education Agency issued a clarification on its official website on June 5, 2026. The agency stated there was no unilateral score reduction. "The change in numbers on the SPMB Maung website is part of the synchronization and real data update process to ensure all assessments are strictly based on applicable legal regulations," the statement read. The agency noted similar cases occurred in the Taekwondo prestasi category, where the system detected initial input discrepancies.

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The change in numbers on the SPMB Maung website is part of the synchronization and real data update process to ensure all assessments are strictly based on applicable legal regulations.