Elementary schools need funds for final exams<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Some school principals complained that they lacked funds to hold
\nfinal exams but were undecided on how to obtain money following a
\ndecision by the Ministry of Education to ban schools from
\nimposing fees for final exams.<\/p>\n
\"Final exams draw near but it is not clear how they will be
\nfinanced as we have no money to hold them,\" Marsudi, principal of
\na state elementary school in Palmerah, Central Jakarta, said on
\nTuesday.<\/p>\n
Final exams, he said, start from June 10 to June 12. \"But
\ncertain subjects, like religion and sport, will begin two weeks
\nearlier in May,\"<\/p>\n
Marsudi said schools had been prohibited from burdening
\nstudents with fees as the city administration had promised to
\nhelp cover the costs.<\/p>\n
\"However, until now it is not clear when and how funds from
\nthe city will be disbursed,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Exam funds are needed to pay for copying test papers, paying
\nteachers' honorariums and providing snacks and meals for teachers
\nsupervising the exams.<\/p>\n
Iing Ahmad Mumkin, head of the subdirectorate of Jakarta
\nelementary school education, revealed that his office had
\nproposed Rp 44,000 per student for the tests.<\/p>\n
\"Be patient as the administration is drafting a gubernatorial
\ndecree to disburse the funds,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Iing declined to reveal the exact amount proposed to the
\nadministration, but hinted that the figure could be Rp 5.5
\nbillion (around US$587,300) for about 125,000 students at 2,334
\nstate elementary schools and more than 750 private elementary
\nschools.<\/p>\n
The funds, he said, might be disbursed in two weeks.<\/p>\n
Iing asserted that schools were prohibited from charging
\nstudents fees for the tests.<\/p>\n
\"If you find violations, just inform us. We will take stern
\nadministration action against those who violate the regulation,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
However, Iing said that students could help fund the exams \"if
\nthere is a consensus by which both parties -- schools and
\nstudents' parents -- decide on the matter.\"<\/p>\n
No parents have reported being charged fees for the exams.<\/p>\n
\"I have not been charged any fee by my son's school (for the
\nfinal examination),\" said Yusuf, who works at a private firm in
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Yusuf's son is a sixth grader at SD 09 Harapan Jaya state
\nelementary school, Bekasi.<\/p>\n
\"We'll protest if the school management decides to charge a
\nfee (for the test) as we, the parents, have been well-informed
\nthat the government has prohibited schools from burdening
\nstudents with fees,\" said Yusuf.<\/p>\n
However, for state schools whose financing depends heavily on
\ncity funds, the disbursement is crucial.<\/p>\n
Another principal of an elementary school in Petamburan in
\nCentral Jakarta revealed that her school might assemble parents
\nto discuss fees for the test.<\/p>\n
\"Time is running out. In the next two or three weeks, we'll
\nhave no choice but to summon parents to discuss the problem if
\nthere is no certainty on when the money can be extended,\" said
\nthe principal.<\/p>\n
Another parent, Ridwan, reported that a private school in
\nPamulang that his son attends had distributed circulars notifying
\nthat there would be no fee charged for the test.<\/p>\n
\"The school management has been careful in making fee-related
\ndecisions, as we parents are very critical of such issues,\"
\nRidwan said.<\/p>\n
Last year, Ridwan said, the school charged Rp 110,000 per
\nstudent for the final exams.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/elementary-schools-need-funds-for-final-exams-1447893297",
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