Crisis a blow to Lampung students<\/p>\n
BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung (JP): A lot of elementary and high
\nschool students in this southern Sumatra province will soon have
\nto drop out of school because of critical economic situations
\nfaced by their parents.<\/p>\n
A recent survey held by a team from the National Development
\nPlanning Board and the Asia Development Bank at 70 elementary,
\njunior and senior high schools -- both public and private -- in
\nrural areas found that between 3 percent and 4 percent of
\nstudents would have to stop going to school because their
\nparents, who have been hit hard by the economic crisis, can no
\nlonger afford to finance their studies.<\/p>\n
The head of the Ministry of Education and Culture's provincial
\noffice, H. Enggus Subarman, who disclosed the survey's results,
\ntold Antara news agency recently that each of the 70 schools have
\napproximately 300 students.<\/p>\n
He said final-year students in particular are in great
\nfinancial trouble because the approaching final examinations will
\ncost them more. Elementary school examinations will take place at
\nthe end of this month, while those for high school are only a
\nweek away.<\/p>\n
This means, he said, that their parents will have to pay an
\nexamination fee as well as the regular school fee.<\/p>\n
Enggus said that to alleviate the students' financial burden,
\nhis office has instructed school principals to find a more
\ntolerable policy. Hopefully, the policy can help lighten the
\nstudents' burden so that they will not have to drop out.<\/p>\n
\"I have asked principals to see to it that every student takes
\npart in the final examinations,\" Enggus said.<\/p>\n
He said that a long-tern plan is also needed to help students
\nof private schools, and those whose parents belong to the low-
\nincome bracket, to be able to go on to senior high school.<\/p>\n
This effort will be of greater importance if it is related to
\nthe compulsory nine-year education program, under which each
\nstudent should graduate from junior high school (SMP).<\/p>\n
\"Under the 12-year compulsory education program, which will be
\nintroduced here soon, students will have to graduate from senior
\nhigh school (SMU).\"<\/p>\n
In Lampung, Enggus said, there 130,000 children aged between 7
\nand 15 who have not enjoyed any formal education because of
\nimpoverished social and economic conditions.<\/p>\n
According to Enggus, the province plans to complete
\nintroduction of the nine-year compulsory education program by
\n2001, from where the 12-year-program will take over. \"Whether it
\nwill be a success in this economic condition is still debatable.\"<\/p>\n
He said the regencies of West Lampung and Tulang Bawang have
\nreported that for some reasons, they will be late in their
\nparticipation in the programs.<\/p>\n
Bandar Lampung, the province's capital, kicked off its 12-year
\ncompulsory program on May 2, National Education Day.<\/p>\n
Head of the city education office, Amami Amila, said that drop
\nouts are still rife in his area.<\/p>\n
He said that in industrial areas along the road between Bandar
\nLampung and the port town of Panjang, many elementary school
\npupils occasionally drop out to work at factories in order to
\nhelp their parents make ends meet.<\/p>\n
\"The habit usually leads to leaving school for good,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In other areas, which include the capital, many girls feel
\nashamed if they have to continue their studies to university, he
\nsaid. He did not elaborate.<\/p>\n
In Bandar Lampung, according to Amami, it is common to see
\nschool-age children going around selling plastic bags, newspapers
\nor cigarettes, or even becoming manual workers.<\/p>\n
West Lampung regency is facing another problem. Residents of
\nWay Haru-Pesisir village told Antara recently that there is only
\none elementary school, and it only has only one teacher for the
\n300 students. \"Worse still, the teacher works only on an
\nhonorarium basis,\" they said.<\/p>\n
\"Sometimes the school is closed for months,\" they said. (tis)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/crisis-a-blow-to-lampung-students-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }