A Silent First Day of School: Portrait of State Schools Facing Pupil Shortages

The first day of school is usually filled with the cheerful sounds of children getting to know each other in the classroom. However, a different scene unfolded at two state primary schools in Central Java. Amid rows of empty desks, a teacher welcomed just one new pupil for the School Environment Introduction Period (MPLS).

At SD Negeri Cepokosawit II in Boyolali, only a single new student enrolled for the 2026/2027 academic year. In response, the Boyolali Education and Culture Office (Disdikbud) plans to study the regrouping of several schools experiencing a continuous decline in pupil numbers to maintain the quality of educational services and access for children.

A similar situation occurred at SD Negeri Butuh in Temanggung, which has received only two new pupils for two consecutive years. On the first day of the new school year, only one pupil was present as the other was unwell. Despite the empty classrooms, the spirit of learning persists, with teachers providing the same level of guidance to every child, regardless of dwindling enrolment caused by demographic changes and shifts in public preference.