https://dinastires.
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March 2025 DOI: https://doi.
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38035/jlph.
https://creativecommons.
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The Urgency of Eliminating Basic Education Fees in Reducing the School Dropout Rate In Bekasi City (A Study on Government Regulation No.
47 of 2008 on Compulsory Educatio.
Vera Waty Simanjuntak1.
Waluyo2.
Master of Law.
Faculty of Law.
Sebelas Maret University, verawsimanjuntak25@gmail.
Master of Law.
Faculty of Law.
Sebelas Maret University, waluyo.
fh@staff.
Corresponding Author: verawsimanjuntak25@gmail.
Abstract: Education is the fundamental pillar guiding a nation's development and serves as an investment for creating quality human resources.
Various efforts have been made by the government to improve the quality and equity of education, one of which is the elimination of education costs through the compulsory education program.
This study aims to examine the urgency of eliminating basic education fees in reducing dropout rates, focusing on how well the compulsory education program has been implemented.
The research method used in this study is empirical legal research, with data analysis based on George C.
Edwards i's policy implementation theory .
, using a sample from one region in Indonesia, namely Bekasi City.
The results show that the elimination of basic education fees has not been properly implemented due to the involvement of certain individuals in several schools who hinder the execution of the compulsory education program through uniform costs and other charges explicitly prohibited by existing regulations.
Therefore, there is a need for government-led socialization, guidance, and assistance to the community, as well as increased budget allocations for educational aid, more schools, and joint evaluations between the government and society to achieve an effective compulsory education program that reduces dropout rates.
Keyword: Education Costs.
Dropout Rates.
Basic Education.
INTRODUCTION
Education is a right for all Indonesian citizens, as clearly stated in the constitution.
The fulfillment of education is carried out through the implementation of school processes for formal education and through additional lessons outside school hours for informal education.
Paulo Freire argued that education is about humanizing humans based on their culture, so they act in accordance with their cultural values (Salim Hani & Ilham, 2.
To receive education, funding, referred to as education costs, is necessary.
Education costs refer to all expenditures related to the administration of education.
One of the major problems often encountered in the process of educational financing is the issue of operational costs, financing for assessment and learning processes, procurement of facilities and infrastructure, as well as their repair and 2228 | P a g e https://dinastires.
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, 2.
The fundamental milestone for the direction of a country's development is based on the quality of education.
Insufficient education will lead a country to lag behind.
in other words, a country with a highly educated population will have a rapidly growing economy (Sudarmono et al.
, 2.
Therefore, financing is needed for the education process, and the state accommodates the financing of basic education in its entirety based on Article 31.
Paragraph 2 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, which states, "Every citizen is obliged to attend basic education and the government is obliged to fund it," meaning that the implementation of basic education is clearly the responsibility of the government.
The education financing guaranteed by the government, in reality, is often just rhetoric that is not well-implemented in several regions, such as Bekasi City.
The rhetoric outlined in the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia is also reflected in Law Number 20 of 2003 on the National Education System, and further elaborated in Government Regulation No.
47 of 2008 on Compulsory Education, which in Article 1 states, "Compulsory education is the minimum education program that must be followed by Indonesian citizens, which is the responsibility of the Government and local governments.
" This means that the compulsory education program is entirely the government's responsibility.
Therefore, both the central and local governments must ensure that through the compulsory education program.
Indonesian children, as the future generation, receive quality education in a fair and equitable manner.
The compulsory education program aims to improve access and equity in quality basic education services that are accessible to all segments of society (Hasanah, 2.
Based on data from Susenas 2023, the national education completion rates are as follows: 97.
83% for elementary school/equivalent, 90.
44% for junior high school/equivalent, 79% for senior high school/equivalent (Badan Pusat Statistik, 2.
This shows a significant disparity between the completion rates for elementary, junior high, and senior high Therefore, it can be said that the overall implementation of the compulsory education program needs to be reviewed.
Bekasi City is one of the regions in West Java Province that runs the compulsory education program and is part of the autonomous regions, including education.
In 2023, the population of Bekasi City, based on SP2020 projections, was estimated at 2.
63 million people, 32 million men and 1.
31 million women .
(Penyusun/Compilers, 2.
From this population data, 1,349 children are reported to have dropped out of school, based on the Data Pokok Pendidikan (Dapodi.
for the 2020/2021 academic year provided by the Bekasi City Education Office.
Thousands of children who dropped out of school are from elementary and junior high school levels, with the following breakdown: 342 children from public elementary schools, 303 children from private elementary schools, 257 children from public junior high schools, and 446 children from private junior high schools.
According to reports, the causes of school dropouts include parental neglect of education and economic factors .
(Arfian, 2.
other words, the educational financing outlined in the laws and regulations deserves to be METHOD This research is an empirical legal study.
Empirical legal research is focused on primary data .
ield research result.
, through direct interviews with the Bekasi City Education Office and school representatives.
This research employs a socio-legal approach used to analyze issues related to educational financing in the compulsory education program.
To support this empirical research, normative research with a regulatory approach is also used to trace and examine laws and regulations related to educational financing in the compulsory education program in Indonesia, with a particular focus on Bekasi City.
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Regulation of the Compulsory Education Program in Bekasi City "Compulsory" refers to an obligation that, if not carried out, will have legal sanctions for anyone who violates the agreed-upon rules.
"Learning" refers to relatively permanent behavior or behavioral potential as a result of reinforcement through practice.
Therefore, compulsory education can be concluded as the minimum educational program that must be followed by Indonesian citizens, with the responsibility lying with the government and local (Hidayah, 2.
Meanwhile, the 12-year compulsory education is understood as the obligation for children aged 7-18 to receive basic education from Elementary School.
Junior High School, and Senior High School.
This aligns with Law No.
20 of 2003 on the National Education System, which states that the education levels in Indonesia are divided into three:
Basic Education.
Secondary Education, and Higher Education.
Compulsory education is organized to provide the widest possible opportunity for Indonesian citizens to receive The 12-year compulsory education program in Bekasi City is implemented based on Governor Regulation (Pergu.
No.
165 of 2021 on Technical Guidelines for the Provision of Regional Education Operational Costs for Senior High Schools.
Vocational High Schools, and Special Needs Schools in West Java Province, as well as Bekasi City Regional Regulation No.
11 of 2023 on Education Management and Implementation.
These two legal frameworks explain how education funds are allocated to educational units and outline the implementation process of the compulsory education program in Bekasi City.
The planning of the 12-year compulsory education program has been carefully considered to achieve a competitive education system in Bekasi City in the era of globalization, with the government's aim to improve graduation rates for Bekasi City residents.
This is based on Governor Regulation (Pergu.
No.
165 of 2021 on Technical Guidelines for the Provision of Regional Education Operational Costs for Senior High Schools.
Vocational High Schools, and Special Needs Schools in West Java Province, and Bekasi City Regional Regulation No.
11 of 2023 on Education Management and Implementation.
It is important to note that these regulations accommodate all provisions of Law No.
20 of 2003 on the National Education System and Government Regulation No.
47 of 2008 on Compulsory Education.
School Dropout Rates in Bekasi City Table 1.
Number of Dropout Students in Public and Private Elementary Schools in Bekasi City No.
Region Issued Resign Drop Out Amount Bantargebang Bekasi Barat Bekasi Selatan Bekasi Timur Bekasi Utara Jati Sampurna Jatiasih Medan Satria Mustika Jaya Pondok Melati Pondok Gede Rawalumbu Amount Source: Bekasi City Education Office collected during the research on October 15, 2024 Based on the data, the number of dropout students for the 2022/2023 academic year was 69.
This figure excludes students who were expelled or voluntarily withdrew.
If all three categories are combined, the total reaches 657 students.
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Number of Dropout and Repeating Students in Public and Private Junior High Schools in Bekasi City Region Issued Resign Dropout Amount Bantargebang Bekasi Barat Bekasi Selatan Bekasi Timur Bekasi Utara Jati Sampurna Jatiasih Medan Satria Mustika Jaya Pondok Melati Pondok Gede Rawalumbu Amount Source: Bekasi City Education Office collected during the research on October 15, 2024 Based on the data, the dropout rate in Bekasi City was 31 students.
When combined with expelled and voluntarily withdrawn students, the total reaches 553.
This indicates a significant number of children not continuing their education.
Table 3.
Number of Dropout Senior High School Students in West Java Province for the 2022/2023 Academic Year Number of High School Dropouts in West Java Province District/City Amount Jawa Barat Kabupaten Bogor Jawa Barat Kabupaten Sukabumi Jawa Barat Kabupaten Cianjur Jawa Barat Kabupaten Bandung Jawa Barat Kabupaten Garut Jawa Barat Kabupaten Tasikmalaya Jawa Barat Kabupaten Ciamis Jawa Barat Kabupaten Kuningan Jawa Barat Kabupaten Cirebon Jawa Barat Kabupaten Majalengka Jawa Barat Kabupaten Sumedang Jawa Barat Kabupaten Indramayu Jawa Barat Kabupaten Subang Jawa Barat Kabupaten Purwakarta Jawa Barat Kabupaten Karawang Jawa Barat Kabupaten Bekasi Jawa Barat Kabupaten Bandung Barat Jawa Barat Kabupaten Pangandaran Jawa Barat Kota Bogor Jawa Barat Kota Sukabumi Jawa Barat Kota Bandung Jawa Barat Kota Cirebon Jawa Barat Kota Bekasi Jawa Barat Kota Depok Jawa Barat Kota Cimahi 2231 | P a g e https://dinastires.
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March 2025 Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Kota Tasikmalaya Kota Banjar Amount Source: Center for Data and Information Technology.
Ministry of Education.
Culture.
Research, and Technology (KEMENDIKBUDRISTEK).
ttps://data.
id/dataset/p/peserta-didik/jumlah-siswa-putus-sekolah-sm.
Diunggah 15 Oktober 2024.
Table 4.
Number of Dropout Senior High School Students by Region in West Java Province for the 2022/2023 Academic Year Number of High School Dropout Rates Based on Provinces in Indonesia Province Amount Aceh Sumatera Barat Sumatera Utara Riau Jambi Sumatera Selatan Bengkulu Lampung Kep.
Bangka Belitung Kepulauan Riau DKI Jakarta Jawa Barat Jawa Tengah DI Yogyakarta Jawa Timur Banten Bali Nusa Tenggara Barat Nusa Teenggara Timur Kalimantan Barat Kalimantan Tengah Kalimantan Selatan Kalimantan Timur Kalimantan Utara Sulawesi Utara Sulawesi Tengah Sulawesi Selatan Sulawesi Tenggara Grontalo Sulawesi Barat Maluku Maluku Utara Papua Papua Barat Amount Overseas Indonesia Source: Center for Data and Information Technology.
Ministry of Education.
Culture.
Research, and Technology (KEMENDIKBUDRISTEK).
ttps://data.
id/dataset/p/peserta-didik/jumlah-siswa-putus-sekolah-sm.
Diunggah 15 Oktober Table 5.
Number of Dropout Vocational High School Students in West Java Province for the 2022/2023 Academic Year Number of High School Dropout Rates in West Java Province District/City Amount 2232 | P a g e https://dinastires.
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March 2025 Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Jawa Barat Kabupaten Bogor Kabupaten Sukabumi Kabupaten Cianjur Kabupaten Bandung Kabupaten Garut Kabupaten Tasikmalaya Kabupaten Ciamis Kabupaten Kuningan Kabupaten Cirebon Kabupaten Majalengka Kabupaten Sumedang Kabupaten Indramayu Kabupaten Subang Kabupaten Purwakarta Kabupaten Karawang Kabupaten Bekasi Kabupaten Bandung Barat Kabupaten Pangandaran Kota Bogor Kota Sukabumi Kota Bandung Kota Cirebon Kota Bekasi Kota Depok Kota Cimahi Kota Tasikmalaya Kota Banjar Amount Source: Center for Data and Information Technology.
Ministry of Education.
Culture.
Research, and Technology (KEMENDIKBUDRISTEK).
ttps://data.
id/dataset/p/peserta-didik/jumlah-siswa-putus-sekolah-sm.
Diunggah 15 Oktober Table 6.
Number of Dropout Vocational High School Students by Region in West Java Province for the 2022/2023 Academic Year Number of High School Dropout Rates Based on Provinces in Indonesia Province Amount Aceh Sumatera Barat Sumatera Utara Riau Jambi Sumatera Selatan Bengkulu Lampung Kep.
Bangka Belitung Kepulauan Riau DKI Jakarta Jawa Barat Jawa Tengah DI Yogyakarta Jawa Timur Banten Bali Nusa Tenggara Barat 2233 | P a g e https://dinastires.
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March 2025 Amount Nusa Teenggara Timur Kalimantan Barat Kalimantan Tengah Kalimantan Selatan Kalimantan Timur Kalimantan Utara Sulawesi Utara Sulawesi Tengah Sulawesi Selatan Sulawesi Tenggara Grontalo Sulawesi Barat Maluku Maluku Utara Papua Papua Barat Overseas Indonesia Sumber: Pusat Data dan Teknologi Informasi KEMENDIKBUDRISTEK .
ttps://data.
id/dataset/p/peserta-didik/jumlah-siswa-putus-sekolah-sm.
Diunggah 15 Oktober Based on the data, the number of school dropouts at the senior high school (SMA) level in Bekasi City is 36 students, while at the vocational high school (SMK) level, there are 35 In total, the dropout rate for SMA and SMK levels in Bekasi City is 71 students.
the other hand, since senior high education is under the jurisdiction of the province, in this case.
West Java Province, the data shows that the total number of SMA dropouts in West Java Province is 688, while for SMK, it is 1,595.
In other words, the dropout rate in West Java is quite high, and the province is one of the top three with the highest dropout rates at the SMK level, after North Sumatra and East Java.
At the SMA level.
West Java ranks fifth for the highest dropout rates, after North Sumatra.
South Sulawesi.
West Nusa Tenggara, and East Java.
This situation becomes a consideration for improving education in Bekasi City.
Based on this, it can be said that the 12-year compulsory education program in Bekasi City requires further in-depth review for its implementation.
Educational Financing At the elementary and junior high school levels, education costs are borne by the government, including the central government, local government, provincial government, and city/district government.
According to Article 49 of Law No.
20 of 2003 on the National Education System, it states that education funds, excluding teacher salaries and official education expenses, must be allocated at least 20% of the State Budget (APBN) in the education sector and at least 20% of the Regional Budget (APBD).
This means that educational funding comes from the APBN and APBD, but it is directly managed by the Bekasi City government, unlike SMA funding, which is managed by the provincial government.
At the elementary school level, no contributions or fees are applied, but upon closer examination, some schools have violated this by selling sports uniforms .
raining gea.
, name tags, batik uniforms, hats, and ties as school supplies, which is clearly prohibited by existing This places a burden on some families, as allowing parents to purchase their own uniforms would simplify financial access for each family.
If the school mandates payment for uniforms, the cost would inevitably be higher.
Such issues become a point of consideration for both the government and the public regarding the essence of the compulsory education program, which should make access to education easier for the community.
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Contributions from the community are not always in monetary form but may include things like student work, extracurricular support, and so on, especially to support the implementation of the current independent curriculum at the junior high school level.
However, certain school uniforms must be provided for students to participate in the learning process, such as batik uniforms, belts, hats, name tags, and headscarves for Muslim students.
This indicates that the compulsory education program is not truly free.
Additionally, honorary teachers become a new burden for the community, as they are paid from contributions made by parents, even though they should be funded by the government through the School Operational Assistance (BOS) This should be a major consideration for the government when implementing the compulsory education program, where policies are good but implementation is lacking.
At the senior high school level, there is still a strong reliance on community If the government were to bear the full cost, the educational process would not Initially, mandatory education contributions (SPP) were imposed, with set amounts and deadlines.
Over time, due to complaints.
SPP was replaced with voluntary contributions, which are not regulated in terms of amount or deadline but still apply to all parents.
One way to cover the shortfall in funding at the senior high school level is through voluntary contributions from parents.
Analysis of the Urgency of Freeing Basic Education Costs in Reducing the School Dropout Rate in Bekasi City Socioeconomic status is often used as an indicator of welfare and influences behavior, including decisions related to schooling.
Household economic factors play a crucial role in determining an individual's education level.
While there are various educational assistance programs like BOS (School Operational Assistanc.
, these are still insufficient, as there are many other expenses that need to be covered for the continuation of education.
The 12-year compulsory education program still has potential for misuse by some individuals, as some schools do not fully implement the program as mandated by regulations (Hayati, 2.
The most important issue in education management that must be considered is financing, which is an essential element that must be available.
According to Article 49 of Law No.
20 of 2003 on the National Education System, education funds, excluding teacher salaries and official education expenses, must be allocated at least 20% from the APBN for the education sector and at least 20% from the APBD.
This shows that the government has allocated education funds as part of its commitment to the compulsory education program.
Education budgets from the APBN and APBD are distributed for the sustainability of the compulsory education program through the BOS and BOSDA programs.
BOS is a government program for non-personnel funding for basic and junior high schools, as well as senior high schools, as part of the 12-year compulsory education program.
BOS funds are provided for school operations to facilitate basic and secondary education.
BOS funding includes BOP PAUD.
BOS, and BOP Kesetaraan.
The schools that receive BOS include SD.
SDLB.
SMP.
SMPLB.
SMA.
SMALB.
SLB, and SMK.
BOS is divided into regular BOS and performance BOS, based on the Ministry of Education.
Culture.
Research, and Technology Regulation No.
63 of 2022 on the Guidelines for Managing BOS.
Based on existing regulations, it can be said that BOS exists to alleviate the financial burden on communities for the 12-year compulsory education program in Bekasi City.
However, it should be noted that BOS and BOSDA are not directly given to students or their parents, as the funding goes to the schools for operational purposes.
This means that BOS is the main hope for supporting funding for the 12-year compulsory education program in Bekasi City.
Bekasi CityAos 12-year compulsory education program is regulated by the Governor Regulation (Pergu.
No.
165 of 2021 on Technical Guidelines for Regional Education 2235 | P a g e https://dinastires.
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Vocational High Schools, and Special Needs Schools in West Java Province, as well as the Bekasi City Regional Regulation No.
11 of 2023 on Education Management and Implementation.
Articles 107 and 122 of the Bekasi City Regional Regulation No.
11 of 2023 state that educators and school committees are prohibited Selling textbooks, teaching materials, school uniforms, or school uniform materials in the education unit.
Charging for private tutoring or lessons from students or their parents.
Undermining the integrity of student learning assessments directly or indirectly.
Undermining the integrity of student admissions directly or indirectly.
Conducting any activities that undermine the integrity of the education unit directly or Collecting fees from students directly or indirectly that are contrary to regulations.
These prohibitions must be adhered to by educational units, as they are accommodated by the BOS and BOSDA programs for elementary, junior high, and senior high schools.
For some schools, these regulations are merely rhetoric wrapped in binding laws.
The compulsory education program cannot truly be free because each school context differs.
At the senior high school level, there is still a heavy reliance on community contributions.
If schools were to rely solely on government funding, education would not continue.
Initially, mandatory education fees (SPP) were set with deadlines and amounts, but over time, as complaints arose.
SPP was replaced by voluntary contributions, the amount and timing of which are not specified but apply to all parents.
One way to make up for funding shortfalls at the senior high school level is through voluntary contributions from parents.
While regulations have outlined the prohibitions related to the implementation of the compulsory education program, schools have not fully implemented what is mandated in the laws due to financial constraints and the involvement of certain individuals within the schools.
The people of Bekasi City find it difficult to distinguish between mandatory fees and voluntary Education fees are mandatory, binding, and have fixed amounts and deadlines, while contributions are voluntary, non-binding, and can take the form of money or services, as stated in Article 1.
Paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture Regulation No.
44 of 2012 on Fees and Contributions in Primary Education Institutions.
Based on these facts, uniform fees and other school-related charges mentioned earlier are forms of disguised mandatory fees, caused either by school management issues or insufficient government funding to meet school needs.
All citizens have the right to free basic education, but the term "free" is only rhetoric.
In practice, many school-related needs must still be covered by parents, leading to many parents choosing not to send their children to school due to financial limitations.
The improper targeting of assistance for the poor is also a major Therefore, this requires significant effort from both the government and the community to ensure that the people of Bekasi City can truly access their right to education.
CONCLUSION
The urgency of eliminating basic education fees to reduce the school dropout rate in Bekasi City is crucial for the success of an effective 12-year compulsory education program.
The failure to implement free education significantly impacts the school dropout rate in Bekasi City, primarily due to economic limitations, which should not be an excuse for not educating While regulations state that education costs should be borne by the government, the reality is that in some schools, there are violations in the form of fees for uniforms and other mandatory contributions, which are prohibited by existing laws.
In conclusion, governmentguaranteed education financing remains a rhetoric that has not been effectively implemented.
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REFERENCE