Following the SNBP 2026 Announcement, Parents Begin Questioning the Effectiveness of Higher Education
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Following the announcement of the 2026 National Selection Based on Achievement (SNBP) results, Indonesia’s digital public spaces have been filled not only with the euphoria of passing candidates but also with emerging concerns among parents. In the past week, conversations on various social media platforms such as Threads and X, as well as everyday discussions, indicate a shift in perspectives on higher education and children’s futures.
Data shows that of the 806,242 students who registered for this year’s SNBP, only around 178,981 were declared successful. Behind these figures, hundreds of thousands of prospective students must seek other alternatives to continue their education.
However, public attention is now no longer solely focused on who passed and who did not. “The discussions that are developing are starting to touch on more fundamental issues: To what extent is higher education still relevant in addressing current job market challenges,” said business influencer Annisa Herdyana.
In various emerging conversations, Anin, as she is affectionately known, noted that more and more parents are beginning to question the effectiveness of large educational investments if they are not accompanied by real job readiness. Issues regarding unemployed bachelor’s graduates or those working in fields unrelated to their studies have resurfaced and become a topic for collective reflection.
This anxiety is also triggered by the reality that even professions previously considered stable and promising are not entirely free from unemployment risks. This is pushing parents to rethink not only the majors or campuses chosen but also their children’s long-term career directions.
If previously the main focus was ensuring children entered ‘dream’ majors or professions, a new awareness is now emerging. Parents are increasingly realising that industry realities, job market needs, and economic dynamics must be primary considerations from the start.
This change is giving rise to a new approach to viewing higher education. “Parents are no longer just chasing big-name campuses but are starting to seek institutions that can equip students to become human resources ready to face the job world,” she said.
According to Anin, some key factors now receiving primary attention include:
Curriculum relevance, namely to what extent the learning materials can address future industry needs
Practical ecosystems, such as integrated internship programmes and connections to the job world
Development of soft skills, including communication, adaptation, and leadership abilities
This phenomenon, according to Anin, marks that higher education is now increasingly positioned as a strategic long-term investment, not merely an academic achievement.
“For many families, the questions that arise now are far more complex. No longer just ‘where will my child study?’ But whether the chosen education can truly bring the child to readiness to face the professional world?”
Looking ahead, according to Anin, the challenge for educational institutions in Indonesia lies not only in accepting new students but also in their ability to prove that they can serve as a real bridge between the academic world and the job world.
“In the midst of an increasingly competitive and uncertain landscape, institutions that can provide direction, relevance, and career readiness from an early stage are predicted to become the top choices for parents in determining their children’s educational futures.