DPR Rejects Reintroduction of School Fees for West Java High Schools, Urges Ministry Intervention

A member of the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission X, Habib Syarief Muhammad, has stated his disagreement with the discourse on reactivating Sumbangan Pembinaan Pendidikan (SPP) fees at the senior high school (SMA) and vocational school (SMK) level in West Java. He assessed that education in Indonesia would regress if the policy of imposing SPP at the SMA/SMK level is implemented. “Education is a basic right of every citizen. Therefore, the state must continue to strive to provide free and quality education,” Habib told reporters on Sunday, 19 July 2026. “We must not regress by returning the burden of education costs to the community,” he continued. Habib requested that the policy discourse be reviewed. Despite the operational cost constraints faced by schools in West Java, he disagreed that the burden should be borne by the students’ parents. “Many families choose to send their children to state high schools because of the lower cost considerations, even free of charge,” he stated. “If SPP is reinstated, it will certainly burden the community, especially low- and middle-income families,” he added. Habib urged the West Java Provincial Government to maximise the use of School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds, the regional budget (APBD), and other sources. Habib also urged the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to intervene in addressing this issue. “If there are other regions experiencing a shortage of school operational budgets, the central government must immediately supervise and provide support,” he said. “Do not let a wave of SPP reinstatement emerge in various regions,” he stressed.