Ensuring Transparency in New Students Selection

Parents of prospective new students in a number of regions have launched protests against the zoning system-based public school enrollment. They demand transparency in the selection process.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

The parents of students who are members of the Mother and Father Care Movement for Education and Justice stage a rally in front of Jakarta City Hall, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (23/6/2020). The parents expressed their objection to the implementation of a new student admission policy for the 2020/2021 academic year that is based on age, especially on the selection of the zoning pathway.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Protests against the selection process for new high school students have taken place in a number of regions. At the same time, technical problems have also hampered online registration.

A group of parents who called themselves the Movement of Fathers and Mothers for Education and Justice rallied in front of Jakarta’s City Hall on Tuesday (23/6/2020). They protested the use of the age standard in the admission of new students. Previously, this policy also drew criticism from the Student Parents Forum.

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They rejected Jakarta Education Agency Regulations No. 501/2020 on guidelines for the admission of new students for the 2020/2021 academic year. The regulation, among other rules, stipulates the use of an age standard in the zoning system-based student (PPDB) enrollment. They asked to remove the age standard with academic merit.

When asked about this matter, Sonny Juhersoni, the head of the public relations of Jakarta Education Agency, said: "Tomorrow [Wednesday], there will be an explanation about the matter. Please wait."

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KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

An officer serves parents of students at the New Student Admissions Post (PPDB) at SMK 15 state vocational school, South Jakarta, Tuesday (23/6/2020). The government, through a joint decree issued by four ministers, stipulates that schools can be opened in COVID-19 green zones on the condition that they meet health protocols, as well as obtain local government permits and parent permission.

Meanwhile, in Bandung, West Java, parents of prospective state high school (SMA) students together with the Community Education Forum sent their protest on the use of the PPDB enrolment system to the West Java Education Office. They said the selection process was not transparent and fair. According to them, many students were not accepted despite the fact that they lived close to the schools they registered.

According to the zoning system, the selection is based on the proximity of the students’ homes to their desired schools.

Pipit, 40, a resident of Kelurahan Sukamaju village, Cibeunying Kidul subdistrict, Bandung City, complained that her son had not been accepted at SMAN 14 Bandung state senior high school even though he lived within the same subdistrict as the school. As result, she had to send her son to a private school, which is usually more expensive and may not have the same quality of education.

"My husband only works as an app-based ride-hailing driver, while I was just laid because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In private schools, parents have to pay various fees. The private schools are the last choice,” she said.

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According to the secretary for the new student enrolment in West Java, Dian Penasiani, the capacity of high schools in the province was not enough to accommodate the high number of students who had graduated from junior high schools. Data from the West Java Education Office show that the number of junior high school graduates in West Java totals about 700,000 students, while the existing senior high schools in the province can only receive 149,977 students. Therefore, she asked each school to properly apply their admission procedures so that only those who met the requirements can be accepted.

Regarding the PPDB selection process, Bandung Mayor Oded M Danial also requested that the selection committee reject “requests” from certain parties to accept their children if they did not meet the requirements.

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KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

A satirical poster is shown by the parents of students who are members of the Mother and Father Care Movement for Education and Justice, as they rally in front of Jakarta City Hall, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (23/6/2020).

Difficulties registering online

In West Sumatra, prospective high school students have difficulty registering online, which began on Monday, due to a technical problem.

Diah, 47, a parent of a prospective new student in Padang, said her daughter failed to conduct online registration. The website for registration of new students could actually be opened but the registration could not be carried out because the enrolment form could not be downloaded.

"My daughter felt exhausted and frustrated because she could not register," Diah said.

Due to the registration difficulties, dozens of parents and prospective students went to the West Sumatra Education Office on Tuesday to ask about the problems related to online registration. They feared their children could not be accepted because they could not register as fast as other prospective students.

We hope that the committee has other ways to overcome this problem.

Irman, secretary of the online registration committee in the West Sumatra Education Office, said that online registration had been well prepared and had been ready for use since Sunday. However, when registration began on Monday, the system failed because too many applicants were accessing the application.

Besides in Padang, online registration for new students in Agam regency, West Sumatra, was also hampered by technical problems.

"We asked the education office to regulate users accessing the registration page or due to technical problems, the registration period can be extended. We hope that the committee has other ways to overcome this problem, "said the Indonesian Ombudsman representative in the province, Adel Wahidi.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

A student and his parent wait while maintaining distance at the New Student Admission Post (PPDB) at SMK 15 state vocational school, South Jakarta, Tuesday (23/6/2020).

Although there are still obstacles, according to Adel, online registration can minimize the gap of nepotism or maladministration in the PPDB enrolment process.

"With the online system, there is no longer the term \'strong person\' because all the data is inputted and people can see how the ranking is based on the proximity of the school to home. A person can no longer outsmart the loophole in regulations," he said.

According to Yanti Sriyulianti, the chairperson of the Education Concern Family Association, the PPDB selection should be based on prevailing regulations.

"The selection should be based on prevailing guidelines. We appeal education offices to ensure that every student meets the registration requirements so they can enjoy the right to education without discrimination, " Yanti said.

(J O L/ TA M / RT G/ R A M / X T I / M E D/ P R I )