DPR Member Pushes for Fairer Student Admission System

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Abdul Fikri Faqih, a member of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), is urging the reform of the new student admission system between state universities (PTN) and private universities (PTS) to make it fairer and more balanced. According to the man commonly known as Fikri, quoted in Jakarta on Monday, policy synchronisation is needed, including regarding the independent pathway for PTN, to avoid impacting PTS’s opportunities in recruiting new students. “The problem is that private universities consider this unfair. The PTN pathways include some with tests and some without, and then extended with the independent pathway. If it truly burdens private universities, we must correct it,” Fikri explained. He made this statement during a Specific Working Visit on Higher Education in Pekanbaru, Riau. Furthermore, Fikri views the regulation of registration periods at universities as an important aspect for maintaining balance in the higher education ecosystem. He reminded that the registration period for PTN should not limit PTS’s opportunities to recruit new students. “At that time, it was considered that PTN periods were too long, even until July, and reportedly some until August. This gives PTS increasingly narrow opportunities,” he said. Next, Fikri stated that the dynamics of new student admissions are one of the backgrounds for forming the Working Committee (Panja) of Commission X DPR RI in the higher education sector. In addition to new student registration issues, Fikri also highlighted problems with academic programmes at universities. According to him, academic programmes (prodi) need to be regulated to prevent overlaps between universities or between ministries and institutions. “This is a warning for them to regulate their prodi so that they support each other. Perhaps certain PTS excel in one field, other PTS in another, so they do not compete or overlap,” he said. He then emphasised that various inputs from the working visit will serve as material for discussions on the National Education System Bill (RUU Sisdiknas) to realise a more inclusive, fair, and sustainable higher education system.