Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education: 74 Percent of Local Governments Have Prepared SPMB Guidelines
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education reports that technical guidelines on the new student admission system (SPMB) for the 2026/2027 academic year, prepared by local governments, have been completed up to 74 percent.
Meanwhile, 26 percent of regional SPMB guidelines are still in the finalisation stage. “This consists of 64 percent in the legal bureau process and 36 percent awaiting the head of region’s signature,” said the Director General of Early Childhood Education, Basic Education, and Non-Formal and Informal Education at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Gogot Suharwoto, quoted from the official website on Sunday, 10 May 2026.
Gogot stated that overall, this year’s SPMB implementation still refers to Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education Regulation Number 3 of 2025 on SPMB. However, there are slight changes regarding the calculation of capacity in educational units in accordance with the Director General of PAUD Dasmen’s Circular Letter Number 0301/C/HK.04.01/2026.
In the latest regulation, capacity is determined by local governments by calculating the number of available classroom capacities or learning groups, adjusted to national education standards. This regulation changes the previous capacity that had to follow national standards, namely a maximum of 28 students per learning group for primary school level and 36 students per learning group for senior high school level.
Gogot said that starting this year, the authority for calculating capacity is given to the Major Education Quality Assurance Agency (BBPMP) in each province. “This step is taken so that problem resolution can be done directly at the provincial level without having to depend on the central government,” he said.
In line with Law Number 32 of 2014 on Regional Government, Gogot explained that the establishment of SPMB guidelines is made by regents/mayors for early childhood education levels up to junior high school (SMP), and by governors for senior high school (SMA), vocational high school (SMK), and special needs school (SLB) levels.
According to Gogot, as a preventive measure against sudden capacity additions outside procedures, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education will implement a data locking system on the basic education data website (dapodik) immediately after the guidelines and capacity are determined by local governments.
“Once there is a signature (on the guidelines), we receive the report, we immediately lock it in Dapodik. So, there will be no more seat trading practices,” he stated.
Beyond the capacity figures, in the Director General of PAUD Dasmen’s Circular Letter Number 0301/C/HK.04.01/2026, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education also encourages the involvement of private schools in meeting educational needs. Private school involvement is important to ensure that students from low-income families can still study at private schools without being charged fees.
Gogot stated that currently, 78 local governments have provided operational or personal assistance to students. Then, 53 regions intervene through operational assistance funds for schools (BOS), while 25 other regions through Student Personal Assistance.
Gogot emphasised that the central government and local governments are obliged to ensure all students can proceed to the next stage according to their education level. “SPMB, the ‘S’ stands for system, not selection. Therefore, from the central to local government, we are obliged to ensure that all children who want to continue education from one level to the next have a place,” he said.