Deputy Speaker of the MPR RI, Lestari Moerdijat, has called on the\ngovernment and policymakers to re-evaluate the accuracy of education\nfinancing schemes to prevent young generations from losing hope due to\neconomic limitations.<\/p>\n
During the Denpasar 12 Discussion Forum in Jakarta on Wednesday\n(1\/7), Lestari referred to presentations indicating that approximately\n60,000 prospective students who had passed university entrance\nselections chose not to re-register due to a lack of access to\nfinancing. \u201cThis generally occurs because they do not have access to\nfunding. This certainly raises a strategic question: why are so many\nIndonesian children still losing learning opportunities, even though the\nright to education is guaranteed by the constitution?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Lestari believes this phenomenon could serve as a starting point for\nthe state to review the extent to which the education budget allocation\nhas been accurately absorbed and has addressed the root causes within\nsociety. She also encouraged an in-depth study regarding the\neffectiveness of education funding to ensure that the budget is truly\nallocated for inclusive and progressive educational interests.<\/p>\n
Lestari remains optimistic that by improving the accuracy of targeted\nbudgeting, the state can ensure that no more of the nation\u2019s children\nhave to halt their education due to financial barriers.<\/p>\n
Responding to these claims, the Director of Learning and Students at\nthe Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Beny\nBandanadjaja, clarified the circulating misinformation regarding the\n60,000 prospective students said to have withdrawn or failed to\nre-register in this year\u2019s selection. Beny emphasised that the narrative\nof 60,000 students withdrawing in 2026 is incorrect, given that the\nindependent track admission process for this year is still ongoing until\nthe deadline on 31 July 2026.<\/p>\n
According to him, the widely discussed figure of 60,000 actually\nrefers to the presentation of 2025 evaluation data delivered by the\nNational Selection Committee for New Student Admissions during a Hearing\nwith the House of Representatives (DPR RI). He detailed that from a\ntotal national capacity of 627,000 seats in 2025, 585,000 people were\nsuccessfully accepted through the selection process. The difference of\napproximately 40,000 empty seats was purely due to unfilled capacity\nbecause candidates did not meet the minimum quality standards, rather\nthan withdrawals. \u201cFrom those 585,000, it is true that some did not\nre-register. Based on 2025 data, that number is around 17,000, or\napproximately 2.8 per cent of those accepted,\u201d said Beny.<\/p>\n
Lestari continued her critical notes, ranging from education budget\nissues and targeted subsidies to educational affordability and other\nconcerns. The challenge of ensuring the availability of quality and\nequitable teachers demands concrete, comprehensive, and immediate steps\nfrom stakeholders across the country.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the Deputy Speaker of the MPR RI, Lestari Moerdijat,\nemphasised the importance of increasing female participation in STEM\nfields to win global competition and drive innovation. She stated that\neducation issues must be a serious priority in national development and\nencouraged the National Education System Bill (RUU Sisdiknas) to return\nto Ki Hajar Dewantara\u2019s vision regarding the roles of family, school,\nand society.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/60-000-prospective-students-withdraw-lestari-moerdijat-calls-for-evaluation-of-education-financing-scheme-to-1782913826", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }