Education Department Reveals 8,066 Children in Yogyakarta Not Attending School, Here Are the Various Causes
The Yogyakarta Education, Youth, and Sports Department (Disdikpora) has released the latest data on out-of-school children (ATS) in the region. A total of 8,066 children across Yogyakarta are recorded as not attending school. Here are the various factors contributing to this issue.
Acting Head of Disdikpora Yogyakarta, Muhammad Setiadi, explained that according to data from the ATS Dashboard of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia as of 5 April 2026, the number of out-of-school children in Yogyakarta stands at 16,010. This figure is divided into three categories: Never Attended School, Graduated but Not Continuing, and Dropouts or School Leavers.
“From that total, 5,603 data points remain unverified, while 10,407 have been verified,” Setiadi said when contacted on Tuesday (14/4/2026).
From the verification results, Setiadi stated that out of the 10,407 children, 2,341 are still attending school or have graduated/completed upper secondary education or equivalent. Meanwhile, 8,066 children are not attending school.
“The verification results show that from the 10,407 verified child data points, 2,341 individuals are still attending school or have graduated/completed upper secondary education or equivalent, and 8,066 individuals are not attending school,” he said.
The breakdown by regency is as follows: Bantul Regency has 1,715 children, Sleman Regency 2,810, Gunungkidul Regency 2,048, Kulon Progo Regency 953, and the City of Yogyakarta 540.
From the total ATS data, Setiadi continued, there are 18 categories of causes for children not attending school. These include unwillingness to attend, lack of funds, school being too far from home, employment, expulsion, and experiences of violence/bullying/trauma at school.
“In general, the largest cause comes from the ‘other’ category, affecting 3,083 children, indicating a variety of factors beyond the identified categories,” Setiadi explained.
“Additionally, employment is the next dominant cause, with 2,067 children, followed by unwillingness to attend school at 1,170 children,” he added.
Other social factors, according to Setiadi, are also prominent. These include marriage or household duties affecting 411 children, and feeling that their current education level is sufficient for 242 children.
Direct economic barriers such as lack of funds affect 186 children, access issues like distance to school impact 77 children. Health problems or disabilities affect 294 children, while environmental influences or peers affect 82 children.
“Although the numbers are relatively small, factors such as violence/bullying at school, lack of uniforms, and absence of identity documents also require attention,” Setiadi revealed.
“Beyond the main causes, there are specific conditions influencing children’s status, such as 45 children not found, 94 deceased, and 186 who have changed residence,” he added.
The diverse causes of the problem, Setiadi said, mean that addressing out-of-school children requires a comprehensive and cross-sectoral approach. This includes economic and social interventions, as well as raising awareness about the importance of education.
“Handling involves providing scholarships, equivalence programmes A, B, C, and non-formal education to enhance skills for self-reliance,” Setiadi explained.
“Collaborating, among others, with the Social Affairs Department and the Manpower Department. Intensive cooperation with village governments for personalised outreach and so on,” he concluded.