Mu'ti Prepares Special Policy for Schools with Low Enrolment
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is preparing a special policy to handle schools that are short of pupils for the 2026/2027 academic year. The policy will be formulated together with local governments after the ministry maps schools that have a very limited number of students.
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti said the phenomenon of schools with minimal pupils is influenced by various factors, such as changes in the school-age population, population movement, the development of residential areas, community preferences for educational institutions, and geographical conditions in each region.
As a basis for policy formulation, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has recorded schools with fewer than 100 pupils, including those with student numbers below 60, through the Basic Education Data (Dapodik). This data has also been submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs as part of inter-ministerial coordination.
“We are committed to continuing to promote equal distribution of education quality so that all schools can provide quality education services and become the choice of the community,” said Abdul Mu’ti on Sunday, 19 July 2026.
According to him, the policy formulation is carried out together with local governments because the management of education units falls under the authority of local governments.
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and local governments will map the needs of education services based on demographic developments and population distribution, evaluate school capacity according to regional needs, strengthen data-based education planning, and ensure that schools with limited student numbers still receive optimal support and education services.
In addition, the ministry will conduct periodic evaluations of school conditions so that the policies taken can be adapted to the characteristics of each region.
Mu’ti said that the dynamics of community choice are also a factor influencing the number of pupils in schools. He cited the results of a 2025 Kompas Research and Development study which showed a tendency for some parents to choose to send their children to primary schools with religious affiliations.
He said these findings serve as input for the government in understanding changes in community preferences regarding education services. He invited all stakeholders, including local governments, education units, parents, and the community, to work together to build a quality, inclusive, and equitable education ecosystem.
Mu’ti expressed hope that this collaboration would enable every school to develop according to its regional potential while ensuring all Indonesian children receive equal and quality learning opportunities.