Suherdjoko, Semarang – State high schools and vocational schools in Central Java can only accommodate 45 percent of the province's junior high school graduates, Central Java Education and Culture Agency head Jumeri has said.
Central Java is home to 5,037 junior high schools but only 425 state high schools and 237 vocational schools.
"The rest [of the students] are accommodated by private schools," said Jumeri, adding that new state schools could be built but a strong focus on private schools and limited state budget were barriers to any new projects.
There are 1,541 private high schools and 1,351 private vocational schools in Central Java.
In the enrollment process, 90 percent of seats are determined by the provincial zoning system. Of this figure, 70 percent of seats are determined based solely on where the student lives, while 20 percent is based on achievements for in-district students.
For the remaining 10 percent, 5 percent is achievement-based for out-of-district students; the other 5 percent is designated for students whose parents had to move to the province because of their jobs.
"For the achievement scheme, we have to verify the legality of the students' certificates and conduct achievement ability tests," said Budiyono, a deputy principal of state-run SMA 1 Semarang.
Parents have protested the enrollment system in several provinces due to the slimmer chance that their children have despite having good grades. The system favors students who live close to their desired schools.
The student enrollment process in the province this year begins with registration and verification from June 24 to 28. The results of the enrollment process will be announced on July 9.