Corruption in School Uniform Procurement Harming Parents, Says Education Observer

The alleged corruption in school uniform procurement involving the inactive Regent of Langkat, Syah Afandin, continues to face heavy criticism. This time, the scrutiny comes from education observers who believe the practice not only harms state finances but also burdens parents amidst rising educational expenses.

Education observer Satriawan Salim stated that the alleged gratification related to the procurement of primary school uniforms is an irony in a sector that should be a priority for human resource development. “As an organisation for education and teachers, we strongly condemn the occurrence of corruption regarding school uniforms for primary, secondary, and subsequent levels. This clearly harms parents amidst the high costs of both primary and secondary education,” Satriwan told reporters on Monday, 6 July 2026.

According to him, corruption in the education sector remains a serious issue in national education governance. Budgetary irregularities, including those in school uniform procurement, are seen as undermining the very objectives of education.

“It turns out that those enjoying the benefits of the uniforms are regional heads who exploit opportunities or niches for corruption within the procurement process. When uniform procurement is corrupted, there will certainly be consequences,” he said.

Satriwan also called on law enforcement agencies to tighten supervision over various projects in the education sector to prevent similar cases from recurring. “I believe the KPK (Corruption Eradication Commission), the Attorney General’s Office, and the police must provide close and rigorous oversight. They should not be afraid of parents reporting such issues, because if corruption exists within the world of education, how can we build character, integrity, and honesty? We will certainly lose our compass, direction, and role models. The world of education should be clean, yet instead, it is being corrupted,” he remarked.

He further urged that law enforcement be carried out decisively against parties proven to have engaged in corruption within the education sector. “We urge law enforcement agencies to be truly firm in tackling this case. This is so that the substantial education budget can truly fulfil the rights of students and teachers to achieve high-quality learning,” he concluded.