Cilegon implements free private school program and scholarship oversight

The Cilegon City Government is preparing a free private school program for elementary (SD) and junior high (SMP) students, scheduled for implementation in 2027. Under this scheme, scholarship funds will be transferred directly to schools via Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) to cover monthly tuition fees (SPP), rather than being distributed directly to students.

Local private schools, such as SMP IT Tahfidz Daarul Mu’minin, have welcomed the initiative, noting it could help stabilize student enrollment and alleviate parental concerns regarding tuition costs. The program is a concept from Mayor Robinsar aimed at equalizing educational access.

Separately, Cilegon Vice Mayor Fajar Hadi Prabowo issued a warning regarding the existing 'Cilegon Juare' scholarship for higher education. He stated that the government will not hesitate to revoke scholarships from recipients found misusing funds for non-educational or hedonistic purposes, emphasizing that the budget is derived from public taxes and must be used responsibly for human resource development.