Belitung Regional Council Demands Fair Implementation of Student Admission System
The Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) of Belitung Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands Province, has called upon the organising committee to ensure that the Student Admission System (SPMB) process for the 2026/2027 academic year is conducted fairly.
“Our most important request is that the SPMB in Belitung Regency for the 2026/2027 academic year runs fairly in accordance with applicable regulations, so that no parents feel disadvantaged,” stated the Chairperson of the Belitung DPRD, Vina Cristyn Ferani, in Tanjungpandan on Monday.
These remarks were made following her attendance at the launch of the Belitung Regency SPMB application for the 2026/2027 academic year, which included the signing of a joint commitment. Vina emphasised that all Indonesian children deserve access to decent and high-quality education regardless of ethnicity, religion, race, or group (SARA).
She noted that this issue requires collective attention, as during last year’s admissions, the Belitung DPRD received reports of students struggling to enter their preferred schools due to various noted reasons. “However, after our investigation, those students were able to enter their desired schools through both the zoning and achievement tracks, meaning that discriminatory practices are still possible in the field,” Vina remarked.
Furthermore, she requested that the 2026/2027 SPMB be truly accountable, transparent, and held with integrity. This aligns with the signed declaration for the 2026/2027 SPMB, which pledges that the implementation will be equitable, transparent, accountable, and free from any form of illegal intervention that could undermine children’s rights to education.
“We must collectively uphold the commitment that was signed today,” she said. The Belitung DPRD added that it will continue to supervise the 2026/2027 SPMB to ensure it operates according to the rules and does not violate the signed commitments. “The principle is that every Indonesian child has the right to access education regardless of SARA (ethnicity, religion, race, or group),” she concluded.