Free Private School Programme Not Yet Effective in Addressing Seat Shortage
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has acknowledged that collaboration between the government and private schools has not yet been effective in addressing the shortage of places in state schools. The ministry recognises that this capacity issue recurs every year during new student admissions.
Director General of Early Childhood Education, Basic Education, and Non-Formal and Informal Education, Gogot Suharwoto, stated that collaboration with private schools could be effective if local government policies, funding mechanisms, and consistent quality supervision are properly implemented.
Gogot said that, so far, regulations concerning the responsibility to tackle the capacity shortage in state schools have not been well interpreted by local governments. Ministerial Regulation No. 3 of 2025 on the New Student Admission System requests that local governments involve accredited private schools to accommodate students who cannot be placed in state schools.
To implement this, Gogot said, local governments must provide operational assistance to private schools. “Some regions have already provided operational assistance, while others provide direct aid to students, for instance through scholarships or free schooling for students, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds,” Gogot said on Wednesday, 8 July 2026.
Gogot conveyed that the ministry understands the anxiety of many parents regarding the impact of the limited number of state school places. He said that, for the time being, some parents inevitably have to pay for their children’s education at private schools. “We understand the anxiety of parents who have to pay for private schooling, because not all regions have implemented the collaboration optimally,” he stated.
He said the ministry continues to encourage local governments to position private schools as strategic partners by expanding subsidy schemes for students and underprivileged families. “The Smart Indonesia Programme (PIP) scheme and regional support through various student subsidy schemes will be very helpful,” Gogot said.