Abstrac The Transition of Concepts on Basic Education and Educational Obligations Anlysis of the Acts on National Educational System. The objective of this study is to examine the transsition of basic education and compulsory education s concept in Indonesia stipulated in the educational fundamental laws implementend during 1950-2003. Analysis has been developed based on R. Thomas Murray s method focusing on the definition puspose and scope of basic education in each law. The study found that the purposes of basic education have shiffed from education based on student s development-orientation to education based on labor work and in the newest version the orientation has been defined as the preparation for secondary education. The concept of basic education is not clearly described in the latest legislation. Transistion also occurs in the concept of compulsory education where the concept of universal education has been changed to compulsory education with local goverment being responsible to create a 12-year compulsory education system.