The Irony of School Orientation in Bali: SD 5 Pohsanten Gets Only 2 Pupils, SD 6 Bhuana Giri Gets None

An unusual moment occurred during the School Environment Introduction Period (MPLS) at SDN 5 Pohsanten in Mendoyo District, Jembrana, Bali. By the first day of MPLS, the school had registered only two new pupils. Observations at the site confirmed that the state primary school, located in Banjar Pasatan, Pohsanten Village, is suffering from a severe shortage of pupils. No class in the school has reached 20 pupils, and the total enrolment from grade I to grade VI currently stands at just 49 children. “Initially, the data showed no registered pupils. But this morning, two boys turned up for MPLS, so they have just been registered,” said Gusti Agung Alit Ariastika, a teacher at SDN 5 Pohsanten. Alit, who is also a local resident, explained that the school has repeatedly disseminated information about new pupil registration, but the lack of school-age children in the surrounding area remains the main obstacle. He detailed that the 49 pupils are distributed as follows: grade I has 2 pupils, grade II has 8, grade III has 4, grade IV has 10, grade V has 12, and grade VI has 13. “This year is the lowest intake ever, with only two pupils. Last year, we still had eight pupils register,” Alit noted. He cited geographical and demographic factors as the primary causes of the low interest. Although the Banjar Pasatan area is quite extensive, the population is shrinking as many residents choose to migrate out of the region. “The population is already small, and many people have moved away. Those who stay in the village typically only have two children, unlike in the past,” he added. The phenomenon of dwindling pupil numbers is not isolated to SDN 5 Pohsanten. Data obtained by detikBali shows that a total of 21 primary schools in Jembrana Regency have accepted fewer than 10 new pupils this academic year, with Mendoyo District contributing the highest number of under-enrolled schools. The Head of Primary School Development at the Jembrana Education, Youth and Sports Office, I Nyoman Koriawan, stated that the overall New Pupil Admission process in Jembrana ran safely and smoothly, but acknowledged that dozens of schools have new pupil numbers below the standard class viability threshold. In response, the office will conduct a comprehensive evaluation before taking the extreme step of merging schools. “For this particular school (SDN 5 Pohsanten), it will be evaluated this year,” Koriawan stressed, adding that regrouping could be considered if a school meets the criteria and shows no signs of recovery in pupil numbers over the long term. In a parallel case, SDN 6 Bhuana Giri in Banjar Dinas Komala, Bhuana Giri Village, Bebandem District, Karangasem, has received no new pupils this year, marking four consecutive years without an intake. Headmaster I Made Suartika revealed the school currently has only four pupils: two in grade III and two in grade VI, while grades I, II, IV, and V are empty. The two grade III pupils are twins who followed their older sibling to the school. Despite outreach efforts, the limited local population—mostly elderly residents in around 50 households—and competition from more popular nearby schools have hampered recruitment. Ironically, the school has seven teaching staff, outnumbering the pupils. The lack of pupils also significantly reduces the school’s BOS operational funding, which is allocated per capita. Suartika expressed hope that the school would receive new pupils next year to ensure its survival.