DPR Assures Public Participation in Drafting of National Education System Bill

Jakarta, VIVA – Chair of Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), Hetifah Sjaifudian, has confirmed that the drafting of the Bill on Amendments to Law Number 20 of 2003 on the National Education System (RUU Sisdiknas) has involved meaningful public participation.

“The drafting of the RUU Sisdiknas has been participatory from the outset, involving various elements of society. The input we have received from different regions and stakeholder groups has become an important part of perfecting the substance of this bill,” Hetifah said in a statement in Jakarta on Thursday, 9 July 2026.

Hetifah explained that the drafting of the RUU Sisdiknas has been a lengthy process that began in January 2025.

Over more than a year, she said, Commission X of the DPR has held numerous meetings, working visits, public discussions, and consultations with relevant ministries and agencies, regional governments, academics, professional organisations, education providers, civil society organisations, and various other stakeholders.

An internal Commission X meeting on Wednesday, 8 July 2026 agreed that the drafting of the bill would proceed to the harmonisation stage, marked by the handover of the draft to the DPR’s Legislative Body (Baleg).

According to her, harmonisation at Baleg is a crucial stage in the formation of legislation, particularly as the RUU Sisdiknas integrates various education provisions currently scattered across several laws into a single, more comprehensive and unified regulatory framework.

“We have gone through a fairly long drafting process. The harmonisation stage at Baleg is an important part of further perfecting the substance of the bill before it is eventually designated as a DPR RI initiative proposal,” she said.

Although the bill has entered the harmonisation stage, Hetifah emphasised that the space for public participation remains open. The public can still provide input, criticism, and suggestions for improvement on the substance of the bill in subsequent stages.

“Public participation does not stop at the drafting stage. During the harmonisation process at Baleg and in subsequent deliberation stages, input from the public remains essential to ensure that the RUU Sisdiknas truly addresses the needs of national education,” she said.

Once harmonisation is complete, the RUU Sisdiknas will be brought before a plenary session of the DPR RI to seek approval as a DPR initiative proposal. Deliberations will then continue with the government at the first level of discussion, before proceeding to the second level, namely a plenary session for final approval.