Religious Affairs Ministry Issues Decree on Single Tuition Fee Relaxation for State Religious Colleges

Screen capture of Decree of Minister of Religious Affairs Number 515 of 2020

Ministry of Religious Affairs on Friday (12/6) issued Ministerial Decree Number 515 of 2020 on the Single Tuition Fee (UKT) Relaxation for State Religious Colleges (PTKN) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Acting Director General for Islamic Education Kamaruddin Amin, the decree aims to respond to the impact of the pandemic on students of State Religious Colleges.

Based on the decree, the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed national economic growth that causes a decrease in economic capacity of students, parents of students, or other parties who finance the students and it has the potential to hamper the smooth payment process of the Single Tuition Fee.

“The Decree of Minister of Religious Affairs is issued to ease the burden on students, parents of students, or other parties who finance the students, as well as to ensure  smooth payment process of the Single Tuition Fee,” Kamaruddin said in Jakarta, Monday (15/6).

“Therefore, the payment relaxation is expected to reduce the number of college dropouts at State Religious Colleges,” he added.

Kamaruddin went on to say that there are three payment relaxation schemes that will be provided to State Religious Colleges’ students, including discounts,   extension of payment period, or installments for students studying at State Religious Colleges that implement the Public Service Agency (BLU) financial pattern.

The relaxation can be provided if students are able to show a valid evidence/information regarding the status of parents/guardians.

The status as intended by the decree, for instance, parents of students passed away, parents experience termination of employment (PHK), parents’  business experiences a loss or declared bankrupt, parents face business closure, and parents’ income significantly decreases.

“The request for Single Tuition Fee relaxation can be submitted online and offline. The payment relaxation will be applied to the odd semester of the Academic Year 2020-2021, and will be further evaluated and monitored should the need arises,” Kamaruddin said.

In the SEVENTH Dictum, the Ministerial Decree instructs the Rector/Chairperson of State Religious Colleges to determine the mechanism for implementing Single Tuition Fee relaxation. The Rector/Chairperson of State Religious Colleges, based on the EIGHTH Dictum, can also partner or cooperate with third parties to assist financing of Single Tuition Fee.

“The Rector/Chairperson of State Religious Colleges must report the implementation of relaxation of Single Tuition Fee to the Director General at the end of the ongoing semester,” he added. (Public Relations of Religious Affairs Ministry / EN)

Translated by: Syarifah Aisyah
Reviewed by: Mia Medyana