DPR Urges Thorough Review of Tuition Fee Proposal for Senior High Schools in West Java
Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) has reminded that the plan to reintroduce the Education Development Contribution (SPP) for state senior high school (SMA) and vocational school (SMK) students from well-off families must be studied carefully by the West Java Provincial Government before the policy is implemented.
Deputy Chairman of Commission X of the DPR RI, Lalu Hadrian Irfani, said the policy could in principle be understood as one effort to support education financing. However, its implementation must be based on a comprehensive, transparent and fair study.
“The idea of reintroducing SPP for SMA and SMK students from well-off families can in principle be understood. But the policy must be based on a mature, transparent and fair study,” said Lalu when contacted on Friday (17/7).
He said the regional government must ensure that no student from a disadvantaged family is affected, and must set clear criteria for recipients and implementation mechanisms so as not to create inequality or controversy in society.
“On the other hand, improving the quality of education does indeed require adequate budget support, but financing must not be placed solely on the public without accountability in the use of the funds,” he said.
He also said that if the plan is implemented, the regional government must openly explain the purpose, amount and use of the SPP funds.
“So that the public can see that these contributions are genuinely used to improve learning quality, facilities and infrastructure, and education services as a whole,” he said.
The plan to reintroduce the Education Development Contribution (SPP) payment for state SMA/SMK schools has emerged in West Java. It arose during a working meeting of the Special Committee (Pansus) on the Draft Regional Regulation (Ranperda) on Education Administration held at the West Java Regional Parliament (DPRD) in Bandung this week.
The West Java Provincial Government and DPRD have begun deliberating the idea of reactivating the Education Development Contribution (SPP) for students from well-off families as a solution to cover shortfalls in school operational costs.
The proposal that has emerged so far is that the reintroduction of SPP payments would not be imposed on all students, but only on those from well-off families, or deciles 6 to 10. Meanwhile, students from poor and vulnerable families in deciles 1 to 5 would continue to receive free education.
The Head of the West Java Education Office, Purwanto, affirmed that the plan is still at the discussion stage and has not yet become an official decision.