Golkar Proposes Increase in School Operational Assistance (BOS) Funds

The Golkar Party faction in the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) has proposed that the amount of School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds provided by the state be evaluated. Currently, the BOS fund of Rp 900,000 is considered insufficient.

“We are pushing for an increase in BOS funds and a review of the current amount,” said the Head of the Golkar Faction, Sarmuji, at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday, 13 July 2026.

Golkar held a national seminar to calculate the unit cost of education per student. Based on their calculations, the ideal education fund per student is approximately Rp 18 million. “The result of our evaluation and study shows that the appropriate cost to improve the quality of education is around Rp 18 million. Meanwhile, the BOS fund provided by the state is only Rp 900,000,” he stated.

Sarmuji explained that the Rp 18 million figure is derived from three components: school operational costs, costs borne by educators, and costs borne by parents. He acknowledged that the standard is high but believes it is necessary to push for improvements.

Furthermore, Golkar urged the government to adjust the amount of BOS funds based on regional needs. Sarmuji noted that education costs in large cities differ significantly from those in remote areas. “For example, the cost in Jakarta is different from Central Java. Central Java is certainly different from Mountainous Papua, where the cost of constructing a single building is very expensive,” he elaborated.

Golkar also proposed that the type of educational unit be considered when determining BOS funds. “For instance, a Maritime Vocational School (SMK) will have different costs compared to an Accounting Vocational School because they need to conduct practical sessions at sea,” Sarmuji added. These proposals will be formally submitted during the deliberation of the National Education System Bill (RUU Sisdiknas), which is currently under discussion.