MPR Deputy Speaker Urges Data-Based SPMB Reform to Address Crisis of Empty State Primary Schools

The phenomenon of dwindling interest in state primary schools (SDN) across various regions for the 2026/2027 academic year is considered a serious alarm to immediately improve the new student admission system (SPMB) nationally. Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Lestari Moerdijat urged the government to immediately carry out fundamental improvements to the SPMB by prioritising current data analysis regarding the suitability of capacity and potential student interest in each region. Data from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education shows a significant contraction in the number of primary school students, from 27.58 million pupils in 2011/2012 to around 23.9 million in 2024. Ironically, the number of primary school units actually increased from 61,566 in 2003 to 72,470 in 2024, creating a large gap between capacity and the number of students. “This asymmetrical planning must be addressed immediately. The physical construction of schools must not be out of step with demographic realities and public interest,” stressed Rerie, as Lestari is familiarly known, in her statement on Tuesday (21/7/2026). According to Rerie, who is also a member of House Commission X, a smart, data-based, and adaptive new student admission system is needed. “The arrangement of the state primary school network can no longer be done partially,” said Rerie. Field data reinforces this urgency. In Ngawi, East Java, for example, out of 470 state primary schools, the average intake was only 13-14 new students, and one school even had zero registrants. In Malang City, East Java, 62 out of 195 state primary schools failed to meet their quotas, with 2,285 empty seats (27.46 percent of the total capacity). In Bangli, Bali, seven state primary schools were filled by only 3-6 students. Even in a major city like Solo, Central Java, there were a total of 1,144 empty seats at the primary level. Rerie also highlighted the shift in public preference as an important factor in preparing educational services. Over a decade, the number of state primary students fell from 22.4 million (2016) to 20.3 million (2022), while private primary students grew from 3.1 million to 3.7 million over the same period. “This is a clear indication that parents are seeking more responsive educational services. State schools must improve their quality,” she asserted. Rerie pushed for several strategic measures to address the situation, including the immediate realisation of an education roadmap based on accurate demographic data to determine the location and need for schools. She also stressed the need to strengthen coordination between central and regional governments so that policies are precisely targeted. “The data has spoken. Now is the time for real action. Fix the new student admission system from its roots, so that every Indonesian child has access to fair and quality education,” concluded Rerie.