Access to education is globally recognized as a fundamental human right, yet translating legal guarantees into classroom reality remains a profound challenge. Despite clear national regulatory frameworks designed to mandate schooling, significant disparities in education completion rates persist across primary, junior, and senior levels. When a system fails to keep students in the classroom, it is not merely an administrative shortcoming; it represents a systemic failure to fulfill a basic human right. To understand where these policies break down, researchers Vera Waty Simanjuntak and Waluyo Waluyo conducted an in-depth analysis of a compulsory education program, examining the widening gap between legislative intent and practical execution.
The researchers focused their evaluation on Bekasi City, an urban center grappling with high population density and complex socioeconomic challenges. Utilizing an empirical legal research methodology with a socio-legal approach, the team did not just analyze legal texts; they went directly to the source. By conducting primary interviews with critical stakeholders, including the Bekasi City Education Office and local schools, they compared the lived reality of students against normative legal frameworks, specifically looking at Law No. 20/2003 on the National Education System and Government Regulation No. 47/2008 on Compulsory Education.
The findings exposed a harsh reality: the concept of “free” basic education is often an illusion. The study revealed that the compulsory education program in Bekasi City has not been fully effective, largely due to crippling economic constraints placed on families. While the law technically guarantees free access to basic schooling, pervasive hidden fees and supplemental financial burdens actively undermine the program’s implementation. Consequently, these ongoing, unaddressed costs have forced thousands of children to drop out of school, entirely defeating the purpose of the compulsory education mandate.
Beyond the immediate financial strain on families, the researchers identified severe structural and administrative bottlenecks hindering the system. The study pointed to highly inaccurate targeting of financial assistance, meaning aid frequently fails to reach the vulnerable students who need it most to stay enrolled. Furthermore, a stark administrative disconnection between local and provincial governments creates systemic inefficiencies, leaving critical gaps in program execution. When combined with severe school access limitations and inadequate public support, the infrastructure required to support universal education simply crumbles under the pressure.
To repair this fractured system, the study offers concrete, empirically backed recommendations to strengthen education policies and achieve true accessibility. The researchers emphasize that simply having a compulsory education law is insufficient without aggressive budget transparency to eliminate hidden fees. Furthermore, local governments must prioritize practical logistical solutions, such as significantly improving student transportation access, to remove physical barriers to attendance. By aligning financial support accurately and increasing public awareness regarding the critical importance of education, cities can finally transform the legal right to learn into a tangible reality for every child.
ThinkSpace Insights
- Legal mandates do not guarantee access, as significant disparities in education completion rates persist despite clear national laws enforcing compulsory schooling.
- Hidden fees destroy “free” education, with unexpected financial burdens undermining legal guarantees and forcing thousands of students to drop out.
- Financial assistance often misses the mark, as the study found that aid programs suffer from inaccurate targeting, leaving the most vulnerable families without support.
- Administrative disconnects stall progress, highlighting a damaging lack of coordination between local and provincial governments that weakens program execution.
- Physical barriers prevent attendance, proving that a lack of adequate transportation and school access limitations actively prevent students from exercising their right to learn.
- Transparency is the ultimate solution, with researchers urging strict budget transparency, better logistical infrastructure, and targeted community awareness to fix the system.
Access Full Article
