Ministry of Basic Education and Middle Education Sets Maximum Class Sizes for SPMB 2026

The Ministry of Basic Education and Middle Education (Kemendikdasmen) has set maximum class sizes for each education level in the 2026 System for Student Admission (SPMB). The policy aims to strengthen transparency and prevent cheating such as seat selling and increasing student capacity beyond the rules. Gogot Suharwoto, Director General of Early Childhood Education, Basic Education, and Secondary Education at Kemendikdasmen, said that class-size regulations are determined by education level. He explained that for primary education (SD) the recommended group size is about 28 to 40 students; for junior high school (SMP) 32 to 45; and for senior high school (SMA) 36 to 50 students, remarks made after the signing of the SPMB 2026 Ramah at the Kemendikdasmen office, South Jakarta, on Thursday, 21 May 2026. Central government sets the regulations via ministerial regulation, while the on-the-ground implementation is entrusted to regional governments. For SD and SMP, the determination is by regents or mayors, while for SMA and SMK by the governors. The provisions are then set out in technical guidelines (juknis) of each region. “After the juknis is set, the number of class groups will be locked in the Data Pokok Pendidikan (Dapodik),” he said. He noted that this year’s SPMB implementation has sought to lock the number of seats to prevent seat selling. The government did not disclose a national figure for how many seats are locked. Suharwoto explained that locking the Dapodik data from the outset helps close the loophole of seat selling or adding seats beyond the provisions. He called on each school to publish data on the school’s intake capacity so the public can access it via the school’s website. In addition, he reminded schools to publish the names of students who are accepted and those who are not accepted as well, “so the numbers match. There cannot be any discrepancy because the total will be the same,” said Gogot.