East Lombok Education Office Bans Schools from Selling Uniforms to New Students

The Education and Culture Office (Dikbud) of East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), has prohibited all schools from selling uniforms to new students. The policy was issued following numerous complaints from parents regarding uniform sales practices within schools. The ban is stipulated in Circular Letter Number 100.4.4/911/Dikbud/2026. The letter explicitly states that schools are prohibited from selling uniforms to new students, except for sports attire and school-specific uniforms. Head of the East Lombok Dikbud Office, Muhammad Nurul Wathoni, emphasised that schools are also not allowed to make the purchase of uniforms a condition for re-registration. According to him, the procurement of uniforms is the responsibility of each student or parent, not the school. “We prohibit schools from requiring the purchase of uniforms during re-registration for new students. The procurement of student uniforms is the independent responsibility of the student or parent, it is not the school’s responsibility,” Wathoni stated on Wednesday (1/7/2026). Furthermore, schools are prohibited from adding new types of uniforms. The office has received many reports regarding schools adding extra uniform types. “Dikbud has recorded many inputs and findings of schools adding various types of uniforms. The aim of this rule is to simplify uniform usage and limit schools from procuring uniforms outside the provisions,” Wathoni explained. If a school wishes to implement the use of batik or a distinctive school uniform, the policy must first be agreed upon with parents and coordinated with Dikbud. This step is taken to avoid increasing the financial burden on parents. “They must coordinate with us first and discuss it with the parents. It should not end up burdening the parents,” Wathoni said. Wathoni also conveyed that the use of regional distinctive uniforms will be regulated more simply. If previously worn every week, going forward the uniform will only need to be worn once a month. “We are regulating it so it is no longer every week, but once a month,” he concluded.