Peran Pendidikan Kesetaraan Paket B dalam Memenuhi Hak atas Pendidikan

Abstract

The Package B Equivalency Education Program serves as a non-formal educational pathway designed to ensure the fulfillment of the right to education for citizens excluded from the formal schooling system. Despite its strategic role, the implementation of Package B continues to face significant structural and cultural challenges that hinder the realization of substantive educational justice. This study aims to analyze the role of Package B Equivalency Education in fulfilling the right to education as a moral responsibility of both the state and society. Employing a qualitative approach with a library research design, this study analyzes policy documents, academic literature, and previous research findings. Data were examined using content analysis based on Social Capital Theory, John Rawls’ Justice as Fairness—particularly the difference principle—and Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach. The findings reveal that while Package B plays a crucial role in expanding educational access for marginalized groups, its effectiveness remains limited due to insufficient state support in terms of funding, governance, and quality assurance. Conversely, community involvement through Community Learning Centers (PKBM) and social networks significantly sustains the program, although such efforts are often inadequate to counter persistent stigma and structural inequality. This study concludes that fulfilling the right to education through Package B requires ethical collaboration between the state and society to ensure that equivalency education moves beyond administrative recognition toward genuine empowerment and social dignity.