Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel – Education is actually a space to produce superior seeds for the nation’s future. But in fact, the realm of education is one of the sectors that often becomes a land of corruption.
Therefore, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) continues to strive to prevent potential corruption, including through studies to improve education governance in Indonesia.
KPK Deputy for Prevention and Monitoring, Pahala Nainggolan, said that higher education is the level where corruption education is tested. The existence of several corruption cases in New Student Admission (PMB) in recent years is a sign of the vulnerability of higher education governance in Indonesia.
“What we want to do is build good governance in the future, the key is transparency so that public trust is high and we can reduce the risk of corruption,” Pahala explained in a written statement received by InfoPublik, Friday (5/19/2023).
KPK has hopes regarding the management of higher education in the future. This is due to the fact that university resources have the potential to enter the world of work, which is prone to bribery and gratuities.
In September-December 2022, KPK conducted a study by taking seven samples of state universities from the Ministry of Education and Culture and six state universities from the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Furthermore, a deepening study was also conducted with six sample state universities in March 2023. KPK focused the study on new student admissions in 2020-2022 in the undergraduate study programs of the Faculties of Medicine, Engineering, and Economics.
The study found several problems. First, there was non-compliance of state universities with the quota of student admissions, especially the independent route. Second, students admitted to the independent route were not in accordance with the criteria set by the state universities (ranking/other criteria).
Third, the practice of centralized graduation determination by a Rector tends to be unaccountable. Fourth, the amount of Institutional Development Contribution (SPI) as a determinant of graduation.
Fifth, the non-transparent and unaccountable practice of allocating “environmental assistance” in new student admissions. Sixth, the invalidity of the Higher Education Database (PDDikti), so that it cannot be used as a monitoring tool and basis for policy making.
“We still find disparities in practice between universities, which we consider dangerous. We still find the rector as the sole determinant of affirmation,” said Pahala.
Therefore, as an effort to prevent potential corruption ahead of the 2023 New Student Admission (PMB) period, KPK provides several recommendations that are expected to help manage a clean and corruption-free PMB. (InfoPublik/Photo: KPK Doc)
