“There is still a wide gap between what regulations stipulate and what occurs in practice,” Ombudsman Chair Mokhammad Najih said while submitting the watchdog’s monitoring report on the 2025 New Student Admission System (SPMB) to Minister Mu’ti.
According to a statement released on Wednesday (October 29), the Ombudsman also called on the ministry to strengthen data-based policymaking through the Education Data System (Dapodik) platform.
Najih said implementation of the 2025 SPMB has generally run well but that challenges remain in ensuring equal access, consistent regulation, and transparency at both regional and school levels.
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The Ombudsman found that several regions were still unprepared in planning, coordination among agencies, and transparent public service delivery, despite education being a fundamental right for all children.
Najih emphasized that the monitoring results not only present findings but also aim to improve overall education governance in Indonesia.
He said equality in education should not be measured solely by the number of schools or student quotas but by how effectively the state guarantees fair and dignified access for every child, including those most vulnerable.
The Ombudsman also urged the ministry to issue clearer technical rules on “blank spots,” document verification, and affirmative enrollment pathways for students with disabilities.
It further asked the Home Ministry to require regional leaders to publish SPMB guidelines, form cross-agency committees, and integrate education, social, and population data to ensure fair verification.
The Ombudsman also called on the Social Affairs Ministry to update the National Single Socioeconomic Data (DTSEN) to ensure that affirmative programs reach the right beneficiaries.
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Translator: Agatha, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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