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

A member of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Habib Syarief Muhammad, has expressed disagreement with a proposal to reactivate the Sumbangan Pembinaan Pendidikan (SPP), or education contribution fee, at senior high school (SMA) and vocational school (SMK) level in West Java.

He believes that education in Indonesia would suffer a setback if the SPP policy were reinstated at SMA/SMK level.

“Education is a basic right of every citizen. Therefore, the state must continue its efforts to provide free and quality education,” Habib told journalists on Sunday, 19 July 2026.

“We must not regress by shifting the burden of education costs back onto the public,” he continued.

Habib called for the proposed policy to be reviewed. Although schools in West Java face operational cost constraints, he does not believe parents should bear that burden.

“Many families choose to send their children to state senior high schools because of the lighter, or even free, cost,” he said.

“If the SPP is reinstated, it would certainly burden the public greatly, especially low- and middle-income families,” he added.

Habib urged the West Java Provincial Government to maximise the School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds, the regional budget (APBD), and other sources.

He also pressed the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) to step in and resolve the issue.

“If other regions are indeed facing shortfalls in school operational budgets, the central government must promptly conduct supervision and provide support,” he said.

“There must not be a wave of SPP reinstatement across various regions,” Habib concluded.