Compulsory education a big challenge<\/p>\n
Leony Aurora, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After the first 10 years in the push to give everyone at least a
\nninth grade education, the government has expressed concerns that
\nit is not working as there are still 72 regencies and
\nmunicipalities across the country with student participation
\nrates below 60 percent.<\/p>\n
Director-General of Elementary and Junior High Education Indra
\nDjati Sidi announced to the public on Friday that the regencies
\nand municipalities were mostly located outside of Java in the
\neastern parts of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Some of the eastern areas usually have a very low number of
\nstudents. Areas in Java generally have participation rates of
\nmore than 75 percent,\" Indra said on the sidelines of a press
\nconference held in observance of National Education Day, which
\nfalls on May 2.<\/p>\n
The ministry data shows that South Sulawesi has nine regencies
\nwith nine-year education participation rates of lower than 60
\npercent, while Papua has eight, Riau seven, East Nusa Tenggara
\nand West Kalimantan six each and East Java four.<\/p>\n
Nabire in Papua recorded the lowest junior high school
\nparticipation rate. In 2002, only 668 of 7,408 teenagers between
\nthe age of 13 and 15 went to school in the quake-prone regency,
\nmeaning a participation rate of just 9.02 percent.<\/p>\n
The highest rate in this group was found in Baru in South
\nSulawesi, with 59.88. Based on 2002 data, there were 6,526 of
\n10,889 children who were on course to finish junior high school
\n(ninth grade).<\/p>\n
Nine-year compulsory education was introduced in 1994, with a
\ntarget of reaching 95 percent of the nation's students by 2004.
\nDue to the monetary crisis, the target was revised to 2008.<\/p>\n
After a decade, 90 regencies have obtained the target, with 40
\nof those in Java. Seventeen regencies have participation rates of
\nbetween 90 percent and 95 percent while 162 regencies have rates
\nof between 60 percent and 90 percent.<\/p>\n
Nationally, participation rates in junior high schools
\nincreased from 52.85 percent in 1990 to 77.44 percent in 2002.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, some 3.2 million children aged between 13 and 15
\nare still unable to get a formal education because their families
\nare too poor to pay the relatively high school fees and other
\nassociated costs.<\/p>\n
\"We have started this year by concentrating on building (new
\nschools) outside Java in eastern Indonesia,\" said Indra.<\/p>\n
The government has approved construction of 215 new junior
\nhigh schools across the country this year and allocated Rp 200
\nbillion (US$23.53 million) in block grants for the projects.<\/p>\n
Each school will receive Rp 750 million for the construction
\nof nine rooms -- six used as classrooms -- and their furniture.
\nLocal administrations are obliged to provide the land and cover
\nthe schools' operational costs.<\/p>\n
In accordance with this year's National Education Day, the
\nministry plans to award a number of regents and mayors who have
\nsucceeded in achieving nine-year education participation rates of
\n100 percent.<\/p>\n
The awarding ceremony will be held on May 5 and President
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri plans to attend.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/compulsory-education-a-big-challenge-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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