Financial problems destroy dreams of bright students<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Madiun\/Purworejo\/Sukabumi<\/p>\n
Eighteen-year-old Sugiarto's dream of going to college nearly
\ncame true. The graduate of Purworejo 7 high school consistently
\nmade high marks at school, enabling him to be selected as one of
\nthousand of students nationwide admitted to the prestigious Bogor
\nInstitute of Agriculture (IPB) without test.<\/p>\n
But his dream vanished because his parents, Maidi, 56, and
\nPariah, 54, could not afford to pay the entrance fee for the
\ninstitute. His father Maidi works on a farm and his mother
\noperates a small spice stall in a local market.<\/p>\n
"I told Sugiarto that I would not be able to send him to
\nuniversity. It is difficult for me even to cover my family's
\ndaily expenses. It seems that sending him to university is like
\nthe dwarf longing for the moon," Maidi told The Jakarta Post in
\nAndong subdistrict, Butuh district, Purworejo regency, on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
But without Maidi's knowledge, Sugiarto left Purworejo for
\nYogyakarta several weeks ago to apply for a seat at Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity in Yogyakarta and the IPB in Bogor.<\/p>\n
Only recently did he tell his parents that he was accepted by
\nIPB. "I was very happy, but deep in my heart I was crying when he
\ntold me that he was admitted to IPB. He is a clever boy and
\nalways ranked at the top of his class since elementary school,
\nbut now I have to face the reality that my son cannot go to
\nuniversity because I am poor," Maidi said with tears in his eyes.<\/p>\n
Sugiarto's four older brothers and sisters all graduated from
\nhigh school and immediately went to work. Sugiarto left the
\nfamily home in Andong subdistrict last week to go live with his
\nbrother Pramono in Bandung, where he can find a job.<\/p>\n
Kiki Setya Dewi, a graduate of Madiun 3 high school, was also
\nforced to turn down a place at IPB because her family could not
\nafford to pay the entrance fee and the tuition.<\/p>\n
"I was so happy because my dream of going to university was
\nabout to come true," she said.<\/p>\n
But that dream vanished when she received a letter from the
\ninstitute informing her how much it cost to enroll at the
\ninstitute.<\/p>\n
"I had to pay Rp 5.475 million," said the 18-year-old. That
\nincluded a payment of Rp 1.5 million per semester for tuition, Rp
\n900,000 for accommodation, a Rp 375,000 deposit and other fees
\namounting to Rp 400,000 to secure her admission to the institute.<\/p>\n
"I am retired, where can I get the money?" asked Slamet, 62,
\nKiki's father, the retired village head of Sumber Bening village.<\/p>\n
Kiki said she would apply to the State Institute of Accounting
\n(STAN), where she can get a free education and possibly secure a
\ngovernment job after graduation. "Please pray for me. The
\nentrance exam is on July 17," she said.<\/p>\n
Asriani, a graduate of Sukabumi 3 high school, was a bit more
\nfortunate. Although her family is poor -- her father is a
\nmotorcycle taxi driver who earns between Rp 10,000 and Rp 15,000
\na day -- her friends, teachers and neighbors collected Rp 1.3
\nmillion (US$136.80) so she could afford to enroll in a
\nmatriculation program at IPB on June 29.<\/p>\n
Asriani said she only applied to IPB because the Sukabumi
\ngovernment had promised to pay all of her school expenses. But as
\nof last week, the local government had not made good on the
\npromise.<\/p>\n
"Because the promise was uncertain, my dad pulled me out of
\nthe institute only a week after I joined the matriculation
\nprogram," said the 18-year-old.<\/p>\n
Asriani's father Anwar said he was scared that he could not
\nafford her school fees and other expenses.<\/p>\n
"I am afraid that if she insists on studying at IPB, she will
\nbe forced to drop out of the institute someday," he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/financial-problems-destroy-dreams-of-bright-students-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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