UKT Increase Causes Controversy Among the Community

To address such issues in the future, comprehensive and equitable policies are needed to ensure that every color of the country has the right to have equal opportunities to obtain higher education, especially in higher education. A holistic and sustainable approach is also needed to ensure that access to higher education remains equitable without abandoning the quality of education. In addition, the need for policies that pay attention to the welfare of students and families from various economic backgrounds needs to be a major concern in resolving this issue.

The increase in UKT has an impact on students, including students will experience financial difficulties. Not only that, it also has an impact on the psychological burden of students. Financial pressure often affects students' mental health. Actually, they will not bother their parents with expensive tuition fees, but with the emergence of this new policy, they choose not to go to college rather than bothering their parents. Another impact of this is that it also creates limited access to education which in turn widens the socio-economic gap.

The government and institutions also cannot make decisions without looking at the actual conditions on the ground. It is possible that with a high increase in UKT, the number of people who have higher education in Indonesia will decrease. This will also affect the value of the Indonesian state itself. Universities or the government need to be transparent in explaining the reasons for the UKT increase and how the funds will be used. This communication may be the key to reducing student resistance and concerns.

Another step that the government or institutions may be able to take is the evaluation and adjustment of UKT. The government or institution needs to periodically evaluate the UKT policy and adjust it in line with inflation, operational costs, and students' financial capabilities. This is important to ensure that the UKT increase is still within reasonable limits and does not burden students.

The rise in UKT in Indonesia is a complicated problem involving a number of economic variables, legislative measures, and the requirement for higher educational standards. Even though fee increases might be unavoidable, it's critical that the government and universities collaborate to find a just and open solution. Expanding scholarship programs, boosting government subsidies, and establishing transparency in UKT settings can be the first steps toward making sure higher education stays affordable for all societal strata without placing an undue financial burden on students and their families.