Education Ministry shares best practices for early childhood enrolment to support 13-year compulsory education

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) is sharing best practices for the implementation of the New Student Admission System (SPMB) at the early childhood education (PAUD) level as part of efforts to support the 13-year compulsory education programme, or one year of compulsory preschool.

Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti stated that early childhood is the foundation for a child’s development in subsequent educational stages. “Almost all educational theories state that the first seven years of life are the most decisive. Early childhood education is the foundation for the entire subsequent educational process,” he said in a written statement in Jakarta on Monday.

He added that the government has therefore included PAUD in the 13-Year Compulsory Education Programme, while also expanding support through the Indonesia Pintar (PIP) scholarship programme for kindergarten students from target families and improving the competence of PAUD teachers.

This spirit has been applied in the implementation of SPMB at TK ’Aisyiyah Terpadu Birrul Walidain in Kudus Regency, Central Java. The school principal, Ami, said that all registration information is conveyed openly, while also serving as a space to build partnerships with parents. “We want to ensure that every parent understands the school’s vision, curriculum, and the collaborative patterns that will be built from the start. Kindergarten is not a place for children to race to learn to read quickly, but a place to build the foundation of morals, character, and learning readiness,” said Ami.

Meanwhile, parent Eni Uswati experienced this process when registering her youngest daughter through SPMB. She said the process was simple and provided an opportunity for the school to get to know prospective students from the beginning. “The requirements were just a birth certificate, family card, and a passport photo. After verification, we attended an orientation with the child. The children were given an initial assessment so the teachers could get to know their character from the start,” said Eni.