Education Ministry Affirms: Primary School SPMB Bans Calistung Tests, Here Are the Latest Rules

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology’s Directorate General of Early Childhood Education, Basic Education, and Non-Formal and Informal Education (Kemendikdasmen) has firmly prohibited primary schools from applying reading, writing and counting tests (calistung) in the student admission system (SPMB). The move aims to ensure a friendly and inclusive transition for children entering basic education.

Gogot Suharwoto, Director General, explained that scrapping calistung tests is to guarantee access to basic education without discrimination.

‘There must be no calistung tests. That is the essence,’ he said after the signing of the Ramah SPMB commitment at the Kemendikdasmen Building A, Central Jakarta, on Thursday (21 May 2026).

The government updated school entry age regulations through Permendikdasmen Number 3 of 2025 on the SPMB. The regulation states the ideal age for starting primary school is seven years old, but there is flexibility for children below that age.

He explained that prospective pupils aged at least 5 years 6 months as of July of the current year can register for primary school with certain conditions. The key is not the academic ability for calistung but the child’s mental and psychological readiness.

‘Therefore, there must be a certificate that the child is indeed ready. From whom? From an expert, a trusted psychologist in the local area. So it does not have to be seven years old,’ added Gogot.

This policy is expected to relieve the psychological burden on young children who are often forced to master calistung before the time, while also providing space for children with special potentials to start education earlier in a proper and measured way.

All sub-district heads should personally go to wards to ensure no child drops out of school, including children with disabilities.

Bandung City Government is finalising the implementation of the SPMB for Academic Year 2026/2027 through a Socialisation and Public Communication activity.

Disdik warns the public not to easily trust parties offering assistance in exchange for payment in the SPMB process.

A national survey by Katadata Insight Center (KIC) found that nine in ten respondents rated the SPMB implementation as good.

SMA Mardisiswa Kota Semarang, which this academic year will open four streams and one stream for a partnership with the Central Java provincial government, received only two students.