The Controversy and Response to the 2024 Tuition Fee Increase in Indonesian Higher Education

 



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Significant controversy was raised in 2024 by the increasing tuition fee (UKT) rise for higher education in Indonesia. This resulted in protests by border students and heated debates about politics and education. This policy is considered to be detrimental to students because the high UKT ratio is considered to have an impact on narrowing students' opportunities to study due to the high costs they have to pay.


The government released the regulation of the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Permendikbudristek) Number 2 of 2024 concerning Standard Units for Higher Education Operational Costs at Higher Education Institutions. This regulation has sparked student protests. Tjitjik Sri Tjahjandarie, Secretary of the Directorate General of Higher Education, stated that higher education is a tertiary need, triggering opposition from various directions. Nadiem, the Minister of Education, was then called by Commission X of the DPR RI to explain the new policy and the issue of the UKT increase. Nadiem clarified that the increase would only affect new students and committed to a tiered UKT system to ensure fairness, while addressing concerns about unreasonable fee increases and the need to revise relevant regulations. After a meeting with President Joko Widodo, the planned UKT increase was canceled, pending a review of all public university fee proposals.


The issue of tuition fee increases in 2024 highlights several important aspects of higher education policy in Indonesia. First, the rapid response from students through demonstrations shows the high sensitivity to education policies that are considered unfair. This reflects the high level of political and social awareness among students.


Second, Tjitjik Sri Tjahjandarie's statement that higher education is a tertiary need reflects a pragmatic view of education policy. While it is true that higher education is not compulsory, the statement could be perceived as reducing the importance of university education. This perspective may inadvertently deter students from lower socio-economic backgrounds from pursuing higher education, thus perpetuating existing inequalities. The opposition that has emerged from various parties shows an awareness of the strategic role of higher education in nation-building. One of them is the opposition made by Ubaid Matraji, the National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI).


Third, Nadiem Makarim's statement that the UKT increase only applies to new students and the tiered UKT shows the government's efforts to implement the principle of justice in higher education. However, the demonstrations and summons from the House of Representatives show that the communication and socialization of this policy was not effective, causing concerns and protests.


Fourth, the Ministry of Education's acknowledgement that there have been irrational increases in UKT at a number of PTNs and the commitment to review the policy reflects problems in policy implementation at the university level. It shows recognition of the need for policies that are not only economically viable, but also socially just. The challenge is to ensure that this review process is thorough and results in real change that can improve accessibility of higher education. In addition, the swift release of the official press statement and the directive to cancel the UKT increase for the 2024/2025 academic year shows the government's intention to act decisively in response to public concerns. 


In conclusion, the 2024 UKT increase issue highlights the importance of effective and transparent communication between the government, universities, and students in the implementation of education policy. This issue shows the various views of the government and society towards higher education. Then, the responses from students and the government show the positive dynamics in a democratic system, where policies can be reviewed and changed based on feedback from the public.

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