Pekanbaru School Committees Strictly Banned from Acting as Shields for Illegal Levies in 2026 Student Admissions
The Pekanbaru City Government has officially declared war on all forms of illegal levies and favouritism in the implementation of the New Student Admission System (SPMB). All elements of society are urged to actively participate in close supervision at every educational unit. This preventive measure is taken to ensure that children’s right to education in the City of Fortune is fulfilled fairly, transparently, and free from the intervention of irresponsible individuals.
The commitment to cleansing the education system was directly affirmed by Pekanbaru Mayor Agung Nugroho during a briefing on fraud mitigation readiness for the 2026/2027 Academic Year SPMB in Pekanbaru on Monday (15/6). Agung instructed all school principals and school committee members to strictly uphold the agreed integrity pact. The Pekanbaru City Government will not hesitate to take severe administrative action against anyone proven to undermine fairness in education.
“One crucial point we must all be wary of in this year’s implementation is the indication of movements by certain parties deliberately exploiting the school committee institution. They are trying to use it as an intermediary or legal shield to facilitate practices that clearly violate student admission regulations. I strongly warn against anyone attempting to play with fire through the committee channel,” Agung Nugroho stressed.
Agung explained that technically, all state primary and junior secondary school principals in Pekanbaru already understand the standard SPMB procedures in depth and are strictly prohibited from deviating from the rules. However, the vulnerable loophole that often emerges in the field stems from external pressure, where parties exploit the emotional closeness of school committees to force hidden agendas in order to secure places for specific prospective students.
The Mayor exposed the modus operandi that frequently triggers chaos and massive misunderstandings within the community during the student admission season. In many criminal fraud cases, brokers or intermediaries are often found brazenly misusing and falsely claiming the authority of school principals to convince parents to hand over sums of money. “Field facts show that sometimes there are parties who dare to act in the name of the principal’s instructions to further their own interests. In reality, the principal in question knows nothing and never gave the green light. As a result of this low-level manipulation, the principal ends up bearing the blame, becoming a target of wild accusations and public pressure,” Agung added.
Responding to these potential irregularities, Agung Nugroho locked down the policy that any form of reserved quotas, illegal levies disguised as voluntary donations, or manipulation of residency documents will not be tolerated with any room for compromise. All school committee members are asked to restore their original function as strategic partners in improving school quality, rather than becoming agents facilitating nepotism that destroys public trust in the government’s objectivity. The Pekanbaru Mayor invited active participation from journalists, non-governmental organisations, and parents to utilise official complaint channels if they find any indications of fraud in the field.
“Collective public oversight is the most effective instrument we currently possess to ensure that SPMB 2026 runs fairly, accountably, and cleanly, so that high-achieving children and children from underprivileged families receive school places proportionally,” Agung Nugroho concluded.