The Impact of The Implementation of 'Educational Zoning' on Students School Choices

      Being an excellent student and having a high grade doesn't guarantee to accepted in excellent school? Is it real? The Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture issued Permendikbud No. 51/2018 and Permendikbud No. 20/2019 regarding PPDB (New Student Admission) and issued a regulation called "Zoning Education". Zoning education is a rules for new student admission to prioritized student candidates who has closest distance with school. For students who lived in the maximum zone that has been considered before would be prioritized to accepted in that school.

    System zoning education will applied in primary school, secondary school and senior high school. In different levels, the maximum distance also different, for example, for primary school candidates is a maximum of 3 kilometers, secondary high school 5-7 kilometers and senior high school 9-10 kilometers. The acceptance percentage in every admission path also has a different percentage, zoning education (50%), affirmation (15%), transfer of parents/guardians 5 percent, and 30 percent achievement pathway. Even though there is a different path except zoning education, zoning education still has the highest percentage than the other paths.

     The goal of this program is to make equal and fair education in Indonesia. Phenomenon of most wanted or superior school between students is one of the reason why this program exists. Usually that kind of schools located in center of city, that's why this program expected became a solution for that phenomenon between students. The gap between urban and rural schools will hopefully be reduced.

      Apart from the good objectives that the government wants to achieve, running the rules and the reality was unmatched. Facilities and infrastructure between one school and another are uneven, for example, the facilities and infrastructure of schools in villages and in urban areas. The facilities and infrastructure of urban schools are usually much better and more adequate than schools located in rural areas. That is why prospective students tend to choose schools that are well-known and located in the center of the city. In fact, even students who live in rural areas are less interested in attending schools in their area.

       The impact of this zoning system, makes students who still want to go to their favorite school but outside the zone where they live must make more efforts to have academic and non-academic achievements to support their acceptance in the school. However, for the achievement pathway, they still have to experience quite fierce competition because the quota is only 30% available. So not many prospective students are better off switching to private schools. There are even those who are willing to change the address on their family card in order to fulfill the zoning rules. Of course, this rule does not achieve its intended goals and instead makes it difficult for prospective students.

       Preferably, the issuance of this zoning regulation should also be accompanied by equal distribution of adequate school infrastructure, facilities and infrastructure. So that it can reduce discrimination between schools, and there are no more favorite / superior schools. Schools located in remote areas should be given more attention, especially to the facilities, infrastructure and educators there. Increasing attractive school promotions is also important to attract prospective students. Containers for the interests and talents of prospective students must also be well available in order to realize a school full of outstanding students.