Ahead of the start of the 2026/2027 academic year, the Pekanbaru City Council (DPRD) issued a stern warning to all educational institutions, both public and private, not to turn school uniform procurement into a personal or school business. This practice, which often burdens parents, must be stopped immediately to maintain educational transparency.
Chairman of Commission III of the Pekanbaru DPRD, Jepta Sitohang, stated that schools are strictly forbidden from directing or obligating parents to buy uniforms from specific shops or tailors. According to him, schools only need to set specifications for color, model, and fabric type, while the purchase decision rests entirely with the parents in the free market.
"We have emphasized through an integrity pact that all forms of buying and selling uniforms by schools are not allowed. This is an old trick that must be abandoned so as not to add to the economic burden on the community, which is already quite high in preparing for educational needs," said Jepta on Sunday (July 5, 2026).
Furthermore, Commission III urged the Pekanbaru City Education Office (Disdik) to enhance its field supervision function. The Education Office was asked to ensure that the entire process following the new student admission selection runs cleanly without deviations, including the issue of back-door student admissions that often cause concern.
It is hoped that through this shared commitment, the administration of education in Pekanbaru can run with greater accountability and transparency. The DPRD emphasized that there should no longer be school policies that are coercive and disadvantage parents outside official government regulations.
