DKI Information Commission Emphasises Importance of Transparency in School New Student Admission System

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Chairman of the DKI Jakarta Information Commission Harry Ara Hutabarat has emphasised the importance of transparency in the New Student Admission System (SPMB) at schools. During a visit to SMAN 48 Jakarta on Monday (27/4), Harry asserted that optimising the role of Public Information and Documentation Management Officers (PPID) is key in the SPMB process. “PPID channels are expected to be utilised maximally as official information outlets, including in releasing SPMB details, so that they can be accessed openly by the public,” Harry stated in a written release in Jakarta on Tuesday. The DKI Jakarta Information Commission continues to promote strengthening public information openness in the education sector. In the monitoring and evaluation (monev) activity for public information openness, SMAN 48 Jakarta achieved a score of 85.39 in the “approaching informative” category. “This is not merely an assessment. We are not auditors, but we have a moral responsibility as guardians of public information openness (KIP). From the approaching informative category, it is very possible to advance to informative if recommendations are followed up seriously,” Harry said. According to him, the implementation of the Public Information Disclosure Law (UU KIP) requires public bodies to be able to sort and manage two types of information, namely public information and excluded information. On that occasion, the DKI Jakarta Information Commission, through its experts, also provided recommendations from the e-monev results as a stimulus for improvement. The improvement notes cover six main indicators, namely information quality, facilities and infrastructure, types of information, information services, organisational commitment, and digitalisation. One strengthening point concerns the digitalisation of information to make it easier for the public to access and understand. Harry also reminded the importance of understanding the categories of information requesters, from individuals, groups of people, to legal entities, as well as the role of the Information Commission in upholding public body decisions if disputes arise. He further emphasised the importance of understanding Article 28F of the 1945 Constitution as the basis for the right to obtain information, which is expected to become part of student literacy in schools. Meanwhile, the Principal of SMAN 48 Jakarta, Luhur Setiawati, acknowledged that the monev activity provided significant understanding for the school party. She added that SMAN 48 Jakarta has endeavoured to open access to information from the planning stage to school financing, even to students’ parents. “With guidance from the DKI Jakarta Information Commission, we are optimistic about improving our achievement from approaching informative to informative,” she said.