Several state schools across Indonesia have commenced the 2026\/2027\nacademic year with a notably low intake of new students, with some\ninstitutions recording only one to five new pupils. Despite the small\nnumbers, the School Environment Introduction Period (MPLS) was still\nheld to welcome the new learners starting Monday (13\/7). The MPLS will\nrun for a week before full teaching and learning activities commence for\nthe rest of the academic year. Although student numbers are small, the\nenthusiasm of teaching staff and the readiness of facilities at many\nschools are being maintained to provide the best educational services\nfor every registered child. The phenomenon has been recorded in a number\nof regions, including major urban agglomeration areas such as Semarang\nand Bandar Lampung.<\/p>\n
In Sumatra, SD Negeri 1 Gedung Meneng in Rajabasa District, Bandar\nLampung, accepted only two new students for the 2026\/2027 academic year.\nTeacher Rita stated that the school still carried out the full series of\nMPLS activities just like other schools and provided motivation to the\ntwo new pupils so they would not feel awkward starting elementary\nschool. She assured that the new students would receive guidance from\nteachers and older pupils throughout their learning process. One parent,\nAndi, expressed confidence in enrolling his daughter at the school,\nnoting her happiness and enthusiasm on the first day.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Bengkulu, the Education and Culture Office of Rejang\nLebong Regency is allowing several schools to continue accepting new\nstudents even though the official Student Admission System (SPMB)\ndeadline has passed. Head of the office, Zakaria Efendi, said that out\nof 241 state primary and junior high schools in the region, several\nstill have low registration numbers and have not met the quota for study\ngroups. He hopes the extended admission period will be used optimally by\nschools to fill empty class quotas before the Dapodik data system closes\nin mid-August 2026. Some junior high schools, such as SMPN 30 Rejang\nLebong, had only five registrants, while SMPN 40 Rejang Lebong had just\ntwo. At the primary level, 13 schools had recorded no new students at\nall, mostly located in rural areas far from urban centres.<\/p>\n
In Java, SDN Purwoyoso 01 in Ngaliyan, Semarang, welcomed only three\nnew students. The school nonetheless held a lively MPLS programme, even\nbringing in a mascot to boost the children\u2019s spirits. Head of the\nschool, Hajar Riatiani, attributed the low enrolment to demographic\nconditions, explaining that the surrounding residential area no longer\nhas young families, with most residents being elderly. She also noted\nthat many families have moved to suburban areas like Kaliwungu, Kendal\nRegency, where subsidised housing is available, as house prices in\nSemarang have become too expensive. In Magelang, the local education\noffice reported that 24 state primary schools have study group numbers\nbelow 50 per cent of capacity, with SDN Cacaban 1 having the lowest\nintake at just three new students.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/state-schools-start-academic-year-with-as-few-as-one-new-pupil-1784080280", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }