9-day school holiday during MPR sessions<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The city office of the Ministry of Education and
\nCulture has granted private and public, elementary, junior and
\nsenior high school students a nine-day vacation, which coincides
\nwith the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR).<\/p>\n
Hadis Hadianegara, the office spokesman, told The Jakarta Post
\nWednesday that the holiday would comprise the mid-term holiday
\nfrom March 2 to March 7 and a special break from March 9 to March
\n11.<\/p>\n
The MPR General Session runs from March 1 to March 11.<\/p>\n
According to the education calender, March 9 is supposed to be
\nthe day for picking up report cards. But due to the special
\nholiday, reports will be handed out on March 12.<\/p>\n
\"The nine-day holiday is based on a revision of the education
\ncalender. We planned for it by taking into consideration the
\nholiday for last year's 19th SEA Games.\"<\/p>\n
He said the special holiday was also intended to ensure the
\nsuccess of the sessions.<\/p>\n
The official holiday notification is stated in the office's
\nletter No. 06\/I0I.A1\/LL\/98.<\/p>\n
In a related development, the office also issued another
\nofficial letter, No.05\/I01.A1\/KU\/98, stating the payment of
\nFebruary and March school fees would not be combined, but instead
\nbe paid as usual before the 10th of every month.<\/p>\n
The notification was issued because some schools have forced
\nparents to pay double the tuition due to the holiday, Hadis said.<\/p>\n
\"Asking for payment of fees a month ahead will certainly
\nburden the parents. Therefore we have officially told the schools
\nto stop that kind of action.\"<\/p>\n
A parent, Anna Trihastuti, told the Post the school her nine-
\nyear-old daughter attended had asked parents to pay two months of
\ntuition fees.<\/p>\n
\"Besides that, they also asked us to pay fees for BP3 (the
\neducation assistance board) a month in advance.<\/p>\n
\"This certainly is hard for us. We're not going to run away
\nfrom our obligation ... so why do they speed up the schedule for
\nthe tuition payment only because the payment dates coincide with
\nthe holiday?\"<\/p>\n
Anna has to pay Rp 50,000 per month plus the Rp 12,500 BP3 fee
\nfor her daughter.<\/p>\n
\"Parents usually have a certain budget every month. If we have
\nto pay double, it means finding extra money,\" she said.<\/p>\n
When asked whether the vacation would disturb the students'
\nclass schedules, Hadis said his office had formally notified
\nschools in Jakarta about the holiday and assured them that it
\nshould not necessarily disrupt learning activities.<\/p>\n
\"Most of the school activities have been rescheduled to
\nanticipate any learning disruptions.<\/p>\n
\"Students are urged to spend their holiday in an internship
\nprogram or sports activity.\"<\/p>\n
Hadis admitted that his office was encountering difficulties
\nin arranging the internship program as 60 private companies --
\nwhich were scheduled to accept the students -- eventually backed
\nout of the program due to the monetary crisis.<\/p>\n
\"All of the companies said there was not enough in their
\nbudget to set aside money for the program. As you know, the
\ncompanies usually paid some kind of fees for the students.\"<\/p>\n
He said the office was still looking for interested companies
\nto hire the pupils during the holiday.<\/p>\n
\"I understand that now is a difficult time. But we have to
\nkeep looking for outlets for our children's activities. We don't
\nwant them to end up doing outrageous things, especially during
\nsuch a critical time as the General Session.\"<\/p>\n
An alternative for students is to participate in sport or art
\nactivities, he said.<\/p>\n
\"But it is also has to be done by the book. No mass
\ngatherings, which have the potential to create social unrest,
\nwould be allowed in this condition.\" (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/9-day-school-holiday-during-mpr-sessions-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}