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Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia (2018) — Held at the Discussion Room of the Library of the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, PSPK once again convened an open discussion with various stakeholders through Beranda PSPK. In response to public discourse surrounding the education zoning system that had recently emerged in the media, this edition of Beranda PSPK raised the topic “Zoning Policy and the Equalization of Educational Opportunities.”
Beranda PSPK, Volume XIV featured two main speakers: Catharina M. Girsang, S.H., S.E., M.H. (Expert Staff for Education and Culture Regulation, Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia) and Nisa Felicia, Ph.D. (PSPK Researcher and Lecturer at Sampoerna University). The discussion, moderated by Elin Driana, Ph.D. (PSPK Researcher and Lecturer at Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Hamka), was conducted in a participatory manner.
Nisa Felicia, Ph.D. opened the discussion with a presentation on the theoretical foundations of the zoning system. Returning to the core principles of equity, educational services provided by institutions should be tailored to the diverse needs of students. This is essential because, when equity is implemented effectively, students are given equal opportunities to optimize their potential. From a systemic perspective, this approach is expected to lead to more equitable learning outcomes across students.
In relation to the zoning system, the paradigms held by policymakers and the public also play a significant role in achieving equity objectives. Concretely, the reduction of the “favorite school” label—reflecting a marketplace-oriented mindset—serves as an important indicator of success in promoting equal educational opportunities.
This view was shared by Catharina M. Girsang, S.H., S.E., M.H., who stated that eliminating the status of “favorite schools” is one of the key objectives of the education zoning policy. The zoning system is stipulated in Ministerial Regulation (Permendikbud) No. 14 of 2018 on New Student Admissions (PPDB), which prioritizes distance as the primary criterion for student enrollment.
In addition to distance, several other aspects are considered as priorities in the new student admissions process. In general, the order of priority in PPDB is as follows:
(At the primary school level, age is the main priority, while for vocational high schools distance is not prioritized.) In practice, differences in interpretation across regions regarding the proportion of priorities and technical implementation have led to various consequences. Some of these consequences are perceived as disadvantaging certain parties, particularly students as service recipients. This was illustrated by Septiana Dewi, a parent representative, who shared her experience that her child was not accepted by any of the six public schools near their home due to losing out in terms of proximity compared to other applicants, despite the distance being relatively close—approximately 1.5 kilometers.
Another participant, Abduh, suggested the need to consider a combination of zoning and academic achievement, with each component contributing its own points. Responding to this, Catharina M. Girsang, S.H., S.E., M.H. explained that such an approach could be considered as a last option rather than a primary one. The core emphasis of the policy is to prioritize distance, which requires local education offices to analyze the educational map of their respective regions. As a result, the perception of what constitutes an “ideal distance” may vary across regions, while the proportion of admissions remains aligned with the priorities set out in the ministerial regulation. Furthermore, the interpretation of achievement must be clearly defined—for example, distinguishing academic competitions from report card grades. Transparency in student admissions is also crucial, ensuring that parents are informed about the zoning, achievement, and transfer/out-of-zone pathways, as well as their respective quotas. The achievement pathway is indeed prioritized for students from outside the zone, and its proportion (5%) remains relatively small, based on the assumption that only families with sufficient financial means can afford schooling at greater distances, which involves significant costs.
This perspective was also emphasized by Nisa Felicia, Ph.D., who noted that regions need to understand why these proportions are important. The priority allocation of 20% for students from low-income families (within the 90% zoning quota) may reflect the demographic dominance of such students in certain areas, whereas different proportions may apply in suburban regions. Increasing the 5% quota, she argued, would risk perpetuating inequality.
Nisa Felicia, Ph.D. also shared findings from her study based on PISA data analysis. She found significant disparities in student performance across Indonesian schools. One contributing factor to this inequality is socio-economic status, with schools dominated by middle- to upper-income students performing better than those attended primarily by students from lower-income backgrounds. This suggests that when children are given the opportunity to attend the same schools, their chances of developing their full potential increase, thereby improving the overall equity of graduate quality. Based on these findings, Nisa also argued that the use of school indices in higher education admissions should be abolished, as even students from so-called “favorite schools” must still strive to achieve optimal outcomes.
The zoning system clearly requires coordination among multiple stakeholders and supporting follow-up policies. This was also highlighted by Catharina, in her role as Expert Staff for Education Regulation at the Ministry of Education and Culture, who explained that the PPDB policy is part of a broader set of reforms, including the Strengthening Character Education (PPK) program, regulations on teachers’ workload, and other related policies.
From a broader perspective, the implementation of the zoning system echoes Ki Hadjar Dewantara’s Trisentra Pendidikan concept, as schools—being educational institutions—have opportunities to collaborate with other nearby institutions, including fellow schools, communities, and civil society organizations. This is particularly relevant since students attending these schools come from the surrounding neighborhoods. Such a paradigm shift may serve as one of the key factors in achieving equitable and high-quality education in Indonesia.
