Analysis of policy capacity for social assistance in higher education in the city of Tangerang

Higher education is believed to be a way out of poverty, but in reality, not everyone has equal access to it—especially those from poor families. The Tangerang City Government has attempted to address this issue through an educational social assistance program. However, the problem raised in this study is why the effectiveness of the program is still questionable, especially in terms of the government's ability to design, implement, and maintain the sustainability of the policy to the fullest extent. This study aims to evaluate the policy capacity of the Tangerang City Government using a descriptive qualitative approach. The main focus is on three important dimensions: analytical, operational, and political capacity. The findings show that although the policy structure is in place, the government's analytical and operational capacity remains weak. Conversely, non-governmental actors such as students, the media, and civil society have made significant contributions to oversight and advocacy. This study recommends enhancing technical capacity within the bureaucracy, as well as fostering collaboration and information transparency to ensure that educational social assistance programs can reach more people in need in a fair and sustainable manner.