Seven Banten High Schools Withdraw from Free Education Programme

The Banten Provincial Education and Culture Office (Dindikbud) has announced that approximately seven senior high schools (SMA) have requested to withdraw from the free school programme. The schools have submitted official letters to the office for further action. “It is being recapped. There are about seven schools withdrawing,” said Secretary of Banten Dindikbud, Rachmat Tamam, on Friday (24/7/2026). In 2025, a total of 801 senior high schools, vocational schools, and special needs schools participated in the programme. With seven schools withdrawing, only 794 schools will remain in the programme for 2026. Rachmat has not yet explained the reasons behind the schools’ decision to pull out. “We will have to examine the letters to see on what basis they are withdrawing,” he said. The office intends to summon the schools that have submitted withdrawal requests. According to Rachmat, a formal memorandum of understanding regarding the contract termination is necessary. “If it is confirmed, we will call them in. There must be a contract termination. We need to amend the decree and follow the proper stages; there must be an official report. The procedure must be correct, it cannot be unilateral,” he stated. Rachmat did not specify which schools were withdrawing, but he mentioned that some are located in Cilegon City and Lebak Regency. “There are some in Cilegon and Lebak, but I do not yet fully understand the details,” he said. With the schools’ withdrawal from the programme, students who previously received free education will now have to pay tuition fees. If they wish to remain funded by the provincial government, they must transfer to a school that still participates in the programme. “If they want to continue, they have to pay. If not, we will have to transfer them to a nearby school in the free programme. We feel sorry for them. It is the school that is withdrawing, but what about the students?” he said. “If they want us to fund their free education, they must move to a nearby school. There will likely be many,” he added.