Kupang Parents Demand KPK Audit School Enrolment System After Quotas Fill in Minutes
The process of New Student Admissions (SPMB) for high schools in Kupang City has drawn sharp criticism after quotas at several state schools were reportedly filled within minutes of the online portal opening. Parents are now demanding the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) audit the school operators.
Anita Amtiran, a 52-year-old parent, expressed her disappointment after her child failed to secure a place at a preferred state school despite waiting since morning with all required documents prepared. “We waited a long time, all documents were ready. But when the system opened, the quota was immediately full. We do not understand how the process could be that fast,” she stated on Monday (22/6/2026).
Amtiran insisted that the KPK should not only monitor the implementation of the SPMB but also audit the school operators. She urged the government and the NTT Regional House of Representatives to audit the registration mechanism and publicly disclose the admissions data. “We do not want to accuse anyone. But the government needs to explain to the public how the quota was filled. Education is every child’s right, so the admissions process must be honest, fair, and transparent,” she added.
In response, the Head of the NTT Education and Culture Agency, Ambrosius Kodo, denied any manipulation in the SPMB process. He explained that the rapid filling of quotas was due to hundreds of students registering simultaneously for limited slots. “The online SPMB has been running for 4-5 years. There is no foul play. If the quota is 40 and hundreds register at the same time, of course it fills up quickly,” he said.
Kodo further explained that the agency had divided registration into sessions to manage the queue and that simulations showed the process could be completed in just 27 seconds. He confirmed that the KPK is monitoring the system to prevent any insertion of unqualified students, stating that any manipulation attempts would be recorded in the digital trail.