City admits poor planning in school renovation projects<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, Jakarta<\/p>\n
At least 13 school construction projects have been halted as a
\nresult of poor planning by the Jakarta Elementary Education
\nAgency.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo said at City Hall on Friday
\nthat work on the 13 schools throughout Jakarta had been delayed
\nsince 2002 due to financial constraints resulting from the
\neducation agency's poor budgetary planning.<\/p>\n
"If only the education agency had allocated the money for the
\nreconstruction before tearing down the school buildings, this
\nproblem would not have occurred. It is simply a result of poor
\nplanning," he said. "Students have had to be moved to other
\nschools for the time being."<\/p>\n
Fauzi said that although academic activities were not
\ninterrupted by the project delays, students and teachers had been
\nleft in a state of uncertainty over when they could return to
\ntheir old schools.<\/p>\n
"We have decided to prioritize these projects in the upcoming
\nrevised city budget, which is currently being discussed, by
\ntaking funds allocated for other city projects," he said.<\/p>\n
The revised budget will be based on an evaluation by the
\nadministration of the implementation of city projects in the
\nfirst six months of the year.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Audit Agency head Firman Hutajulu said his agency had
\ninvestigated the delayed projects and had come to the conclusion
\nthat they were the result of mistakes by the education agency.<\/p>\n
"The education agency started construction on those school
\nbuildings in 2002. However, it only allocated enough money for
\nthe reconstruction of several buildings, not for all 13 of the
\nschools," he said.<\/p>\n
Firman did not say if the education agency's head would be
\nsanctioned over the matter.<\/p>\n
The education agency's official for building construction and
\nprocurement, Dian Hardian, defended the agency, saying it had
\nproposed a Rp 86 billion budget for reconstruction work on 10
\nelementary schools and 17 junior high schools last year.<\/p>\n
He said the administration only disbursed Rp 50 billion of the
\nproposed money, which meant the agency only had the funds to
\ncomplete work on 14 schools, with construction on the other 13
\nbeing delayed.<\/p>\n
Education agency deputy head Maman Achdiat, however, said the
\nagency had the funds and was ready to proceed with the
\nconstruction projects.<\/p>\n
"We have the money. We are in the process of appointing (a
\ndeveloper) for the project .... Hopefully, the construction will
\nbe completed this year," he said.<\/p>\n
I-box
\n13 schools on which construction has been halted
\nWest Jakarta
\nSMP 105
\nSMP 89
\nEast Jakarta
\nSMP 80
\nSMP 199
\nCentral Jakarta
\nSMP 118
\nSMP 40
\nSouth Jakarta
\nSMP 68
\nSMP 161
\nSMP 154
\nNorth Jakarta
\nSMP 23
\nSMP 144
\nSMP 120
\nSMP 20<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-admits-poor-planning-in-school-renovation-projects-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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