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Jakarta gears up for free private school program
The city administration is still preparing the free private school initiative that is expected to launch as early as this year, but officials said that 40 schools, some in East Jakarta, will be selected for the program's initial stage .
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Students attend a class at SDN Grogol Selatan 08 state elementary school on May 28, 2025, in South Jakarta. (Antara/Sulthony Hasanuddin)
T
he Jakarta administration is preparing to provide free education in private schools across the city as early as this year, a move applauded by experts who also warned that the program should be accompanied by measures to ensure the schools can accommodate prospective students.
The city administration has been working on the program since last year, and the initial stage will see 40 private schools selected for the initiative.
The Jakarta City Council Commission E overseeing education held a meeting with the Jakarta Education Agency on Tuesday to discuss how the initiative could be delivered without sacrificing the quality of education provided in both public and private schools.
Concerns have been raised that allocating some of the city’s education budget to make private schools free may reduce the amount of funding given to state schools in Jakarta. The education budget is also being used to renovate more than 5,000 classrooms that are in poor condition, according to 2024 data from the Elementary and Secondary Ministry.
“Don’t let children get left out of school. The education provided should also be of good quality,” Commission E member Muhammad Subki of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said during the meeting, as quoted from a statement.
Jakarta Education Agency head Nahdiana said that the city administration is still working on qualification parameters for private school financial assistance, as the city looks forward to including more schools in the program.
Read also: Jakarta to arrange free schooling for poor students at 1,000 private schools next year
