Understanding 'Friendly' Student Admission Systems in New Student Admissions
Student admission is more than just an annual administrative process; it is a vital part of public educational services that determines a child’s access to decent and quality schooling. Through the Student Admission System (SPMB), the state endeavours to ensure every child has a fair opportunity to access quality education.
Through the ‘SPMB Ramah’ (Friendly SPMB) campaign, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) emphasises that new student admissions must be objective, transparent, accountable, equitable, and inclusive, as well as free from illegal levies, bribery, gratification, and fraudulent practices. The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu’ti, stated that ‘SPMB Ramah’ represents a collective spirit that educational services must be easy to understand, open, fair, and focused on the best interests of the child. This principle is crucial so that economic barriers, disabilities, domicile, or social backgrounds do not hinder a child’s right to basic education.
To strengthen this commitment, Kemendikdasmen organised the Signing of the Joint Commitment for ‘SPMB Ramah’ for the 2026/2027 Academic Year in Jakarta. This national momentum aims to strengthen the governance of SPMB to ensure it operates without discrimination. The joint commitment involves various ministries, regional governments, law enforcement, and oversight bodies, including the House of Representatives (DPR RI), the Regional Representative Council (DPD RI), the Attorney General’s Office, the National Police, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), and the Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia.
This synergy underscores that student admissions are not merely the responsibility of schools or education offices, but involve national governance, child protection, and public trust in the state. The Deputy Chair of Commission X of the DPR RI, Himmatul Alistair, emphasised that SPMB is the initial gateway to fulfilling the educational rights of Indonesian children, asserting that no child should lose hope of attending school due to an unfair selection system.
‘SPMB Ramah’ is essentially an effort to strengthen public trust in educational services. This trust is built when information is clear, regulations are easy to understand, selection processes are monitorable, and complaint channels are accessible. Consequently, the public is urged to use official channels, follow technical guidelines from their respective regions, avoid intermediaries or ‘brokers’ promising school placements, and report any suspected illegal levies or fraud through official channels.
Regional governments play a vital role by drafting technical guidelines and ensuring implementation suits their local conditions, while the central government strengthens norms, coordination, and supervision. The Director General of Early Childhood, Primary, and Non-formal Education, Gogot Suharwoto, noted that previous implementations have shown positive progress. A 2025 Katadata Insight Center survey indicated that 64 per cent of respondents believe SPMB helps equalise educational access, 51 per cent believe it increases transparency, and 50 per cent believe it reduces the dominance of ‘favourite’ schools.
To further expand educational access, 135 regions have involved private schools in the SPMB process. Of these, 92 regions provide operational assistance to private schools, while 43 regions provide direct assistance to students, such as scholarships or free schooling for students from low-income families who are not accommodated in state schools. The involvement of private schools is a key step in ensuring that the right to education does not rely solely on state institutions.