West Java Provincial Government Responds to SMK IDN Bogor Controversy
Dozens of parents from SMK Islamic Development Network (IDN) Boarding School in Jonggol, Bogor Regency, West Java visited the office of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) in Jakarta on Thursday, 12 March, to advocate for their children’s educational future following the revocation of the school’s operational licence by West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi.
The Parents’ Representative Committee of SMK IDN Bogor, led by Sri Malahayati, requested government intervention to address the educational uncertainty facing 500 students at the institution. “This policy has serious consequences for students, particularly because it occurs during a critical period of education when students are facing school examinations and university entrance selection processes,” Sri stated.
During mediation sessions, parents emphasised that the decision had created not only administrative challenges but also psychological pressure and future uncertainty for hundreds of previously high-performing students. Meanwhile, the Head of West Java’s Education Office, Purwanto, asserted that the licence revocation was not intended to halt teaching activities but rather to ensure all educational processes complied with legal requirements. “We want to provide educational rights to children in West Java in the correct manner, meeting all elements regulated by the state,” Purwanto said at a press conference in Bandung.
Purwanto clarified that the decision was not made hastily. The West Java provincial government had conducted extensive dialogue and discussions with school management before taking action. On 21 January 2026, the government and school had reached an agreement outlining measures to ensure student education would continue, with the school committing to complete all necessary licensing documents and temporarily transfer students to designated partner schools.
According to Education Office data, SMK IDN Bogor enrolled 181 students in Class X, 200 in Class XI, and 176 in Class XII. To date, 18 students have already undergone school transfers whilst awaiting completion of the institution’s licensing documentation. Dedi Taufik, Head of the West Java Investment and One-Stop Integrated Services Office, explained that establishing a school requires clear administrative stages beginning with spatial planning compliance, followed by Building Approval Certification (PBG), then Occupancy Permit (SLF), before submission to the provincial government.
From a legal standpoint, the licence revocation was characterised as a corrective measure to ensure the legality of educational operations. Yogi Gautama, Head of the West Java Regional Secretariat Legal Bureau, noted there was a lack of legal basis in issuing the school’s original operational licence. “Factually and legally, there is a missing legal foundation for issuing the licence—specifically, the absence of PBG approval from Bogor Regency,” Gautama stated.
Parents maintaining they did not come to confront the local government but to seek fair and proportional solutions to protect their children’s educational rights and ensure normal graduation. “Education is a national investment. Do not let children’s futures be halted merely because of administrative issues,” they emphasised.
One parent, Nurdyanti, urged the West Java Provincial Government to exercise discretion to allow at least Class XII students to complete their education and obtain official diplomas from the institution. “The current priority is the fate of students. Give Class XII children the opportunity to complete their education through the end of the school year and obtain official diplomas,” Nurdyanti said.
The SMK IDN Bogor controversy originated in November 2025 over disputes regarding student dropout status.