To Prevent Recurrence of Gibran's Certificate Controversy, Diploma Equivalency Provisions Will Be Added to National Education Law Revision

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) plans to incorporate provisions on diploma equivalency into the revision of the National Education System Law (UU Sisdiknas) to prevent a recurrence of the controversy surrounding Gibran Rakabuming Raka's diploma certificate.

"On one hand, this serves as a lesson for all of us; on the other hand, we plan to include these equivalency provisions in the chapter of the revision to the National Education System Law so that we have a strong legal umbrella," said Commission X Vice Chairman Lalu Hadrian Irfani at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday (13/11/2026).

He viewed the withdrawal of Gibran's diploma equivalency certificate by the Ministry of Education and Culture as a significant blow to the agency responsible for education.

According to him, this incident should serve as a reminder for all stakeholders in the education sector to improve regulations, especially those related to the issuance of diploma equivalency documents.

"The recent incident has become an evaluation point for all of us, including us in Commission X of the DPR RI, that we need regulations that are truly reliable as references, rather than regulations that are redundant and open to varying interpretations," he stated.

Lalu emphasized that the differences in interpretations regarding equivalency certificates have indicated the urgency for a more definitive legal framework.

The new regulation will not only focus on graduates from foreign general schools but will also include santri (Islamic students) and Indonesian students pursuing education around the world.

Lalu revealed that many Indonesian students encounter obstacles when seeking to continue their education at home due to the rejection of their foreign educational documents.

"It's not just about graduates from general schools; today, in Indonesia, there are many of our santri sent to pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) or to study abroad. When they return and wish to continue at general schools here, they face challenges," he said.

Regarding the potential use of attendance certificates as a basis for equivalency, as had been debated in Gibran's case, Lalu could not provide a definitive answer yet.

He mentioned that such technical matters still require in-depth discussions with experts, considering the variations in educational systems across various countries.

"Certainly, we will discuss this technically. We will invite experts to dive deeper into these issues, because it is not easy," he explained.

For illustration, the PKB politician mentioned the complexities involved in diploma equivalency from countries like Singapore, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, which require more detailed derivative rules.

Lalu noted that Commission X also encountered inconsistencies in the terminologies used for documents, ranging from certificates of equivalency to equivalency decisions.

The criteria for their issuance are also deemed to lack uniform references.

"However, what are the requirements for issuing a certificate, what are the requirements for issuing a decree, those interpretations still vary," he said.

Therefore, Commission X urges that clearer regulations be included in the revision of the National Education System Law.

Subsequently, these technical provisions can be further elaborated through government regulations and related ministerial regulations.

"Thus, with the revision of the National Education System Law, we will certainly establish it firmly as the legal basis, and then the derivatives below that, government regulations, ministerial regulations, and so on, will be regulated technically," he concluded.