West Jakarta Education Office Calls for Cross-Sector Support to Realise Quality, Inclusive Education

The West Jakarta Education Office Region II has called for cross-sector support to realise quality, child-friendly and inclusive education. This was conveyed following the issue of children not attending school or dropping out in the West Jakarta area. “Various factors such as the family’s socio-economic conditions, population administration, and health issues are the causes of children losing access to education,” said Head of the West Jakarta Region II Education Office, Muhammad Arif Rachman, on Monday. Arif stressed the importance of cross-sector collaboration and parental involvement to prevent children from dropping out and to ensure they continue their education. “We must not let any child in Jakarta lose their right to education and their future because of problems we can actually solve if we work together. When one child successfully regains their right to education, that is a success for all of us,” he stated. He said the Education Office has completed the implementation of the New Student Admission System for the 2026/2027 academic year, followed by a five-day School Orientation Period from 13 to 17 July 2026 under the theme ‘Friendly Orientation’. “We want all prospective students to have a positive experience when entering their school environment. We want schools to be safe and comfortable places, free from bullying, violence, seniority, and discrimination,” he said. He noted that the success of education is not solely the responsibility of the Education Office but requires the support of all elements of society. “Technically, education is the responsibility of the education sector. However, the true success of education is the responsibility of teachers, parents, and the community,” he added. According to data from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in July 2026, the number of out-of-school children in West Jakarta was 20,890 at the primary school level and 32,229 at the junior secondary school level. At the regional level, the dropout rate in the area has decreased by approximately 67.97 percent.