Seven Banten High Schools Withdraw from Free Education Programme

The Education and Culture Office (Dindikbud) of Banten Province has said that around seven private senior high schools wish to withdraw from the Free School Programme. The schools have submitted official letters to the provincial office for follow-up.

“They are being tallied, being tallied at the moment. There are seven… seven schools withdrawing,” said Banten Provincial Education and Culture Office Secretary Rachmat Tamam on Friday (24/7/2026).

In 2025, a total of 801 senior high schools (SMA), vocational high schools (SMK) and special schools (SKh) took part in the programme. If seven schools withdraw, only 794 schools will participate in 2026.

Rachmat has not yet explained the reasons for the schools’ withdrawal from the programme.

“We will also need to see the letters and what they are based on,” he said.

The provincial office will summon the schools that have requested to withdraw. According to him, an official record of contract termination will be required.

“If it is confirmed, we will summon them. There has to be a contract termination. We need to issue a revised decree and go through the other stages, with an official record. It must be done properly, not just unilaterally,” he said.

Rachmat did not specify which schools were withdrawing, but mentioned that some were located in Cilegon City and Lebak Regency.

“There was one in Cilegon, and Lebak… I just don’t fully understand yet, not comprehensively,” he said.

With the schools’ withdrawal from the programme, students who attended school free of charge last year will have to pay tuition fees this year. If they wish to continue being funded by the Banten Provincial Government, the students must transfer to a school that remains in the programme.

“If they want to continue, they will have to pay. If not, we will have to move them to schools near those still in the Free School Programme, because we sympathise with them. It is the school that withdrew, not the children — they cannot help it,” he said.

“If they want us to fund their free schooling, they will have to transfer to a nearby school. There will certainly be many such cases,” he said.