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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

West Java DPRD Deputy Speaker rejects tuition fees in public high schools

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • West Java DPRD Deputy Speaker Ono Surono opposes the reintroduction of tuition fees (SPP) in public high schools.
  • He argues that the government is obligated to provide 12 years of free education and should fund schools through the provincial budget.
  • Surono criticizes the proposed tiered fee system, citing issues with public welfare data and advocating for increased government support for both public and private schools.

Ono Surono, Deputy Speaker of the West Java Regional People's Representative Council (DPRD), has voiced strong opposition to any proposal to reintroduce tuition fees (Sumbangan Pembinaan Pendidikan - SPP) in public high schools. Surono asserts that the state has a fundamental obligation to guarantee 12 years of free education for all citizens, meaning school financing should not be a burden on the public.

"In my opinion, the focus should be on how the West Java Provincial Budget can fulfill all the needs of public schools," Surono stated. He emphasized that this includes everything from classrooms and laboratories to sports facilities, places of worship, and the welfare of teachers, all of which should be the government's responsibility. Surono pointed to existing laws mandating a minimum of 20 percent of the national or regional budget be allocated to education, urging the provincial government to prioritize public school needs through its own budget rather than reviving SPP.

In my opinion, the focus should be on how the West Java Provincial Budget can fulfill all the needs of public schools.

— Ono SuronoDeputy Speaker of the West Java DPRD explaining his stance on school funding.

Surono also dismissed the idea of a tiered SPP system, which would only apply to higher income brackets, calling it an inappropriate approach. He cited concerns about the accuracy of public welfare data, noting that many underprivileged individuals do not receive social assistance or even have their health insurance deactivated due to data validity issues. He believes this makes it unreliable to determine who can afford fees.

Beyond opposing SPP in public schools, Surono called for increased government support for private schools. He believes such aid is necessary to help private institutions improve their facilities without placing the entire financial burden on students. Surono hopes the SPP proposal will not become policy, stressing that the priority must be ensuring the education budget adequately covers all school needs in West Java.

Haven't yet been able to confirm the economic capacity of the community in the 6th to 10th deciles.

— Ono SuronoDeputy Speaker of the West Java DPRD explaining his concerns about the accuracy of public welfare data for tiered fee proposals.
DistantNews Editorial

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

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