Indonesian officials urge free tuition to include private universities

Indonesian legislators and academics are calling for the government's proposed free university tuition program to include students at private higher education institutions (PTS), rather than focusing solely on state universities (PTN).

Lalu Hadrian Irfani, Vice Chairman of Commission X of the DPR RI, emphasized that private universities play a vital role in supporting access to higher education. He noted that the National Education System Law does not restrict operational assistance to government-managed institutions. To support private institutions, he suggested increasing the quota for the Kartu Indonesia Pintar (KIP) Kuliah program for private university students and considering direct operational assistance for PTS.

Supporting this view, R. Agus Sartono, a professor at Universitas Gadjah Mada, argued that a policy targeting only state universities could widen inequality. He pointed out that students from low-income families often struggle to compete in state university entrance selections and are frequently forced to enroll in private institutions, which typically carry higher costs. Sartono noted that since national development is funded by taxes paid by all citizens, subsidies should be distributed equitably regardless of whether the institution is public or private.