Questions to Ask at a School Open House: A Parent Checklist

Written by Fajar Webarq. Updated October 26, 2026.

Summary

• Open houses are most useful when you ask the same questions at every school and write down the answers, rather than relying only on your impression from the tour.
• Some answers can be checked against the rules. Elementary (SD) classes can have no more than 28 students, reading, writing, and arithmetic tests (calistung) cannot be an admissions requirement for SD, and schools must have a complaint channel that keeps the reporter's identity confidential.
• The Violence Prevention and Handling Team (TPPK) set up under Permendikbudristek 46/2023 no longer applies. Since January 9, 2026, its replacement is Permendikdasmen 6/2026 on Safe and Comfortable School Culture.

An open house is a chance to see what the brochure leaves out. Bring the questions below, grouped by theme, with the reason each one matters and the answers to watch for. Where an official rule applies, we cite it so you can check the school's answer against it. A printable checklist is at the end.

Before You Visit: Gather the School's Data

Before the open house, check three things you can find without asking: the accreditation status, the school profile, and the registration schedule. That way, your time at the open house can go to questions only the school can answer, such as how teachers handle conflicts between children or the full breakdown of costs.

• Accreditation: search for the school name or its NPSN (national school identification number) on the BAN-PDM site, the database of Indonesia's national school accreditation board. The steps are in our guide to how to check school accreditation.
• School profile: the Sekolah Kita portal, run by Kemendikdasmen (Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education), shows school profiles, student numbers, and a feature for comparing several schools side by side.
• Schedule: the announcement of registration under SPMB (the new student admissions system) must come no later than the first week of May (Permendikdasmen 3/2025 on the New Student Admissions System, Article 38). Private schools often set their own schedules.

Curriculum and How Children Learn

Ask which curriculum the school uses, what extra programs it adds, and how early-grade classes teach children who are not yet reading fluently. A good answer includes examples of activities or a weekly schedule, not just program names. For SD, remember that calistung tests cannot be used as an admissions requirement.

1. "Which curriculum do you use, and what extra programs do you offer?"
   • Why ask: According to the Kemendikdasmen press release on Permendikdasmen 13/2025 (July 2025), the curricula in force are the Merdeka Curriculum and the 2013 Curriculum. Extra programs add study hours and often add cost.
   • Watch for: a school that says "international curriculum" but cannot explain its partnership status or show a sample schedule. Schools that officially partner with foreign institutions are called SPK (cooperation schools).
2. "How does Grade 1 support children who are not yet reading fluently?"
   • Why ask: Article 11, paragraph 5 of Permendikdasmen 3/2025 states that prospective Grade 1 SD students are not required to take a reading, writing, arithmetic, or other test. This means Grade 1 teachers must be ready to teach children who start from very different points.
   • Watch for: a school that requires children to read before admission, or that uses a calistung test to decide who gets in.

Teachers and Class Size

Ask how many students are in the class your child would join, and who is responsible for that class day to day. The rules cap SD and MI (madrasah ibtidaiyah) classes at 28 students per learning group, and SMP and MTs (junior high madrasah) at 32. Any class above these limits should come with an explanation from the school.

1. "How many students are in each Grade 1 (or Grade 7) class this year?"
   • Why ask: Permendikdasmen 26/2025 on Standards for School Management, Article 8, sets these limits. The only exception is for areas short of both schools and teachers or classrooms. It must be set by the education office or the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag), and the limit must be met again within two years at the latest.
   • Watch for: a class over the limit when the school cannot explain the basis for the exception.
2. "Who is responsible for the class, and what do they do beyond teaching?"
   • Why ask: Permendikdasmen 6/2026 on Safe and Comfortable School Culture, Article 18, makes the SD homeroom teacher the main person responsible for the class, including monitoring students' physical and emotional wellbeing. In junior high, this role is shared between the homeroom teacher (wali kelas) and the guidance counselor (guru BK).
   • Watch for: no single person who is clearly responsible for the class, or a school that will not say how long early-grade teachers usually stay.

Safety and Bullying

Ask for the written rules, how to report a problem, and who handles cases. Since January 9, 2026, Permendikdasmen 6/2026 requires schools to draft a code of conduct, a code of ethics, and standard operating procedures, and to provide a complaint channel that is easy to access and keeps the reporter confidential.

This regulation replaces Permendikbudristek 46/2023, and the term of the TPPK team created under the old rule has ended (Article 43). If a school still refers to the TPPK, ask how it has adjusted. Madrasah fall under the Ministry of Religious Affairs, so ask which rules they follow.

1. "May I see the code of conduct, the code of ethics, and the procedures for handling violations?"
   • Why ask: Articles 11 to 13 require these documents to be drafted with input from the school community.
   • Watch for: an answer that is only "we never have bullying here," with no explanation of what happens if a case does occur.
2. "Where do children or parents report a problem, and is the reporter's identity kept confidential?"
   • Why ask: Article 12 requires a complaint channel that is easy to access, including for people with disabilities, guarantees the reporter's confidentiality, and connects directly to the principal or a designated teacher.
   • Watch for: a class group chat as the only channel, or a reporter who has to confront the person they are reporting.
3. "How are serious cases handled, including bullying on social media?"
   • Why ask: The rules cover digital spaces connected to school activities (Article 9). School-level violations are handled with the victim's protection as the priority (Article 23). Violations of the law are referred to the regional government's working group (Pokja), in coordination with parents (Article 24). A student's right to education must not be interrupted during the process (Article 26).
   • Watch for: every case being "settled privately" without a procedure, or expulsion being the only answer offered.

Fees and Their Increases

Ask for a written breakdown of costs for the first year, an estimate for the following years, and the history of monthly tuition (SPP) increases. Private school fees are set by each school, so a written breakdown is the fairest way to compare. For admissions through SPMB, Article 37 of Permendikdasmen 3/2025 prohibits schools from charging prospective students any fees.

1. "What are the cost components, when are they due, and what is not included?"
   • Why ask: Entrance fees, monthly tuition, activity fees, uniforms, books, and transport are often due at different times.
   • Watch for: a breakdown given only verbally, or "other fees to follow" with no amounts.
2. "How much has monthly tuition increased over the last three years, and how are those decisions made?"
   • Why ask: We did not find a cap on private school tuition increases in national rules, so the increase history is the best clue available.
   • Watch for: a school that will not answer.
3. "Is there a committee fee, and is it mandatory?"
   • Why ask: Permendikbud 75/2016 on School Committees states that school committee fundraising must take the form of aid or donations, not levies (Article 10). A levy is mandatory and binding, with a set amount and timing. A donation is voluntary (Article 1). The committee is also prohibited from selling textbooks or uniforms at school (Article 12).
   • Watch for: a "donation" with a set amount and deadline for every parent. Under that regulation's definitions, those features make it a levy.

Communication With Parents

Ask how the school reports on children's progress, which channel you can use to contact teachers, and what forums are available to parents. Clear communication from the start helps small problems get fixed before they grow, especially in the first year, when children are still adjusting to a new environment.

1. "How and how often is my child's progress reported?"
   • Why ask: Semester report cards are often too late to address problems. Article 36 of Permendikdasmen 6/2026 names active communication, communication forums, and parent classes as parents' roles.
   • Watch for: no official channel besides the report card, or parents who never receive committee reports, even though Article 13 of Permendikbud 75/2016 requires them at least once per semester.

Special Needs

If your child has a disability or special learning needs, ask how the school assesses those needs and adjusts teaching. Under current rules, the form of accommodation for students with disabilities is decided through an assessment and consultation with parents, not decided by the school alone.

1. "How does the school decide what support my child needs?"
   • Why ask: Under Article 12 of Permendikbudristek 48/2023 on Reasonable Accommodation, the form of accommodation is determined from a functional assessment by the school, supported by the Disability Service Unit at the education office, and delivered through consultation with the student and parents.
   • Watch for: a flat refusal without an assessment or any discussion of what the school could provide, or a school that uses the label "inclusive school" without giving examples of support it has actually provided.

For public schools, the SPMB affirmative track (at least 15% of places) is reserved for prospective students from low-income families and students with disabilities.

Facilities and Campus Safety

Well-kept basic facilities matter more than luxurious ones. During the tour, look at the cleanliness of the toilets, the gate and pickup area, the play areas, the prayer room, and any corners that are rarely supervised. Then ask about security procedures, since you cannot see those while walking around.

1. "What are the procedures for pickup, visitor entry, and supervision during break?"
   • Why ask: Article 5 of Permendikdasmen 6/2026 calls for a clean school environment with few risky areas and a security system.
   • Watch for: an open gate with no staff, anyone being able to collect a child without confirmation, or hidden areas with no supervision.

Printable Checklist

Print this table or copy it into a notes app, then fill in the answers for each school you visit. Write down the answers as they are, including when the school could not answer. Once all your visits are done, compare the rows one by one before you decide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I ask at a school open house?

At least seven themes: curriculum, teachers and class size, safety and bullying, fees, communication, special needs, and facilities. Ask the same questions at every school so the answers can be compared.

What is the maximum number of students in an SD class?

No more than 28 students per learning group for SD and MI, and 32 for SMP and MTs (Permendikdasmen 26/2025, Article 8). The only exception applies to certain areas and is temporary.

Are schools still required to have a TPPK?

No. Permendikdasmen 6/2026 ends the TPPK rules. Schools must now have a code of conduct, a code of ethics, handling procedures, and a complaint channel, and violations of the law are referred to the regional Pokja.

Can an SD give a calistung test to new students?

Not as an admissions requirement. Permendikdasmen 3/2025 states that prospective Grade 1 SD students are not required to take a reading, writing, arithmetic, or other test.

Is the school committee fee mandatory?

Under Permendikbud 75/2016, committee fundraising takes the form of voluntary aid or donations, not levies. If a set amount and deadline apply to all parents, ask what rule the school is relying on.

Next Steps

After the open house, confirm the accreditation status using our guide on how to check school accreditation, then compare the schools against the 10 criteria in how to choose an elementary school for your child. More guides are in our Complete Guide to Choosing a School for Your Child.