MEMBANGUN PEMAHAMAN AWAL TENTANG PENGADAAN BARANG DAN JASA PEMERINTAH PADA KALANGAN SISWA SEKOLAH MENENGAH ATAS DI PROVINSI RIAU

Abstract

Citizenship education in its fullest sense is not limited to the mastery of knowledge and technical skills, but also encompasses a fundamental understanding of public governance, public budget management, and policy mechanisms that regulate national and civic life. One of the most important aspects of public governance is Government Procurement of Goods and Services (GPGS), a strategic process that serves as the backbone of development implementation across various sectors, including education, healthcare, infrastructure, and community empowerment. However, public understanding of this issue, particularly among young people, remains very limited. Based on field observations and monitoring, there is a significant knowledge gap among secondary school students regarding how the government plans, implements, and oversees the use of public funds through procurement mechanisms. Many students, even after completing high school, do not understand that procurement is not merely the responsibility of bureaucrats or government officials, but also relates to the rights and responsibilities of citizens to monitor and participate in ensuring transparent, accountable, and pro-poor development. This condition is further exacerbated by the limited inclusion of public governance topics within the secondary education curriculum. As a result, public policy literacy among high school graduates remains low, potentially leading to a generation that is apathetic toward issues of public budget management. In fact, through Presidential Regulation Number 16 of 2018 concerning Government Procurement of Goods and Services, the government has opened broad opportunities for public participation, including the involvement of young people, in promoting procurement practices that are efficient, inclusive, and free from corruption.