Expanding Indonesian children's path to higher education

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government plans to make public schooling free and phase in tuition-free state universities, widening children's path to the future while shifting education costs from families to the state and testing government finances.

President Prabowo Subianto has instructed the government to prepare free public education, spanning kindergarten and primary school through secondary education, along with a phased rollout of tuition-free programs at state universities.

Prabowo first proposed the plan on September 18, 2026, at the National Mandate Party (PAN) anniversary celebration. Ministers have since begun discussing at the Presidential Palace how to put it into practice.

Education costs have long burdened households. Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded average yearly costs of Rp3.55 million (about US$198) for primary school and equivalents in 2024, rising to Rp13.96 million (US$780) for higher education.

BPS also found only 16.27 percent of students received scholarships or aid. Costs go beyond tuition and rise as students advance, so family means often limit educational paths.

The Smart Indonesia Program (PIP) supports primary and secondary students, while the Smart Indonesia Card for Higher Education (KIP Kuliah) helps low-income graduates, using the National Single Social and Economic Data (DTSEN) for eligibility.

The push widens that approach, shifting from targeted aid to broader funding of public schools. Primary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu'ti said the president's directive includes free education from kindergarten.

The government ranks education among its budget priorities. The 2027 draft budget (RAPBN) sets aside Rp820.9 trillion (about US$45.9 billion) for learning quality, infrastructure, teacher welfare, student support and technology to narrow regional gaps.

Free education is more than waiving fees. As costs shift from families to the government, the state must keep schools properly resourced, with funding for teachers, facilities, operations and educational quality.

The government also targets vulnerable groups through separate initiatives. Sekolah Rakyat, for instance, offers free boarding-school education to children from poor and extremely poor families.

The program highlights the many dimensions of access. Tuition is no obstacle for some families, while others struggle with poverty, housing, transportation or poor learning environments.

Free education at public schools can therefore ease one of the main obstacles, but families in more complex situations will still need support programs.

Higher education challenges

BPS data show Indonesia's higher education gross enrollment ratio (GER) was 32.89 percent in 2025 for ages 19-23. Regional gaps were stark: 38.58 percent in urban areas, versus 23.14 percent in rural areas.

These disparities frame the proposed tuition-free policy. Reducing higher education costs would ease a significant financial barrier for high school graduates who want to continue their studies.

Cost is not the only factor, however: campus capacity, location, academic readiness, employment preferences and family background also influence who gets access to higher education.

Interest in university is strong. Applicants to the 2026 Test-Based National Selection (SNBT) for state universities reached 871,496, up from 860,976 in 2025 and 785,058 in 2024.

They came from varied backgrounds, including 597,849 general senior high school (SMA) students, 141,330 vocational high school (SMK) students and 126,505 Islamic senior high school (Madrasah Aliyah) students.

The question then becomes whether higher education has enough capacity, funding and quality for those who want to continue. The government must now turn the directive into a viable scheme without compromising standards.

Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto said the government has discussed several rollout options. President Prabowo directed prompt preparation, with phased execution that accounts for the state's fiscal capacity.

Sustainable funding is vital. The initiative must not compromise spending on faculty, laboratories, research, learning facilities and academic programs, so shifting costs to the state must go hand in hand with quality.

For 2027, the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) Budget Committee agreed to keep 20 percent of the state budget for education, while strengthening PIP, affirmative scholarships, KIP Kuliah and Sekolah Rakyat.

By creating an integrated pathway from primary to higher education, these initiatives place education at the center of human resource development from the start.

The impact will extend to Indonesia's workforce, as accessible education lets more people gain relevant skills and qualifications.

Free education places greater responsibility on the state to ensure policy moves beyond access to quality. Tuition-free schools still need qualified teachers, proper classrooms, adequate facilities and learning that builds concrete capabilities.

The tuition-free university initiative would have an extensive impact on the nation's children, helping them gain competencies and transition into skilled jobs.

The Rp820.9 trillion allocation includes funding for PIP to reach 22.1 million students, KIP Kuliah for 1.1 million college students, renovation of 12,215 schools and madrasahs, and Sekolah Rakyat development.

The figures show the scale of the task. Free education fits a larger goal: broadening access, improving quality and making sure a family's finances do not dictate how far a child goes in school.

Related news: Indonesia to fund free public schools from existing 2027 budget

Related news: Ministry, UT support Prabowo's vision to advance innovation