Indonesia’s Middle Class Prefers Private Schools for Their Children’s Education

The latest survey results from Katadata Insight Center (KIC) in the report "The Middle Class at the Crossroads of the Future" reveal the preferences of Indonesia's middle class towards education for their children.

According to the results, the majority or 61.1% of respondents prefer private schools for their children's education. Meanwhile, the proportion of respondents who trust public schools is lower, at only 38.9%.

The KIC research team noted that trust in private schools has increased by 22.2% since the 2025 survey. This indicates a perception that private schools are able to offer better quality education than other alternatives.

"In this context, education is no longer just a basic need, but has become a major form of investment prioritized by the middle class to safeguard their children's future opportunities," KIC wrote in its report.

Nevertheless, nearly all respondents (99%) expressed a desire for their children to attain a higher level of education than they did. Only 1% said otherwise.

This KIC report was launched at the IDE Katadata Future Forum 2026 event at the Ballroom Djakarta Theater, Jakarta, on Wednesday (April 15, 2026).

The survey results generally reveal the conditions, behaviors, and perceptions of the middle class, which can serve as a basis for formulating strategies and policies to strengthen resilience, drive growth, and support economic and social development in Indonesia.

A total of 1,000 respondents aged 18-60 were involved, comprising 61.6% men and 38.4% women. The majority or 59.3% came from Java Island, followed by Sumatra (19.6%), Bali-Nusa (5.9%), Kalimantan (7.6%), Sulawesi (5.7%), and Maluku-Papua (1.9%).

The data collection was conducted from the fourth quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026 online using a non-probability sampling method. The survey's margin of error is approximately 3.16%.

The full survey results from KIC titled "The Middle Class at the Crossroads of the Future" can be accessed via the following link.