House Commission X Highlights Under-Enrolled State Primary Schools
The House of Representatives’ Commission X has urged the government to seriously examine the phenomenon of state primary schools receiving only a handful of new students, attributing the trend to demographic changes and a gap in school quality.
Commission X Chair Hetifah Sjaifudian stated that the issue, observed in several regions though not nationwide, reflects an imbalance in student distribution. “This phenomenon of state primary schools receiving only one or a few new students is indeed a concern for us. On the other hand, there are still many schools that are oversubscribed,” she said on Friday (17/7/2026).
Hetifah explained that beyond a declining child population in certain areas, a significant quality gap between schools is a major factor. “The public naturally gravitates towards schools perceived to have better learning quality, facilities, and achievements. Meanwhile, many private schools are becoming increasingly competitive by offering superior programmes and attractive services for parents,” she added.
She stressed that the issue cannot be resolved solely through new student admission policies. Hetifah called on the government to accelerate the equalisation of education quality, strengthen less popular schools, and implement planning based on population data and projections of school-age children. “This will allow for more targeted adjustments in the number of schools, class groups, teacher distribution, and the construction of educational units,” she said.
Commission X pledged to continue pushing for every child to receive quality education, regardless of the school they attend. “Public trust in all educational units must be built through tangible quality improvements, so that we no longer see such a wide gap between highly sought-after schools and those lacking students,” Hetifah concluded.
In Semarang, Central Java, SDN Purwoyoso 01 welcomed only three new students for the current academic year. Despite the low enrolment, the school held a festive welcome with a circus-themed orientation and a clown mascot. Head of the school, Hajar Riatiani, revealed that five students initially registered online, but two did not complete the re-registration process.
A similar situation occurred in Boyolali, where Khanza became the sole new student at SDN 2 Cepokosawit. Teacher Andiyani Mudrikah admitted to initial feelings of inadequacy but affirmed the school’s commitment to providing the best education possible. “No matter how many students we have, we must remain enthusiastic and serve them as well as we can,” she said.
In Tulungagung, East Java, SDN 2 Plandaan received only two new students. One of them, Candra Mohammad Saputra, arrived late on the first day wearing casual clothes and sandals, accompanied by his grandparents.