Free primary education set for July<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Starting this upcoming semester in July, elementary and junior
\nhigh students, particularly those from poor families, are
\nexpected to enjoy free education as mandated by the Constitution.<\/p>\n
\"We will begin providing free education beginning this
\nupcoming school year,\" Minister of National Education Bambang
\nSudibyo said on Tuesday, adding, however, that the term \"free\"
\nwould not mean that it would be totally without payment.<\/p>\n
\"Free\" education will be given through block grants disbursed
\nto all public, private and religious elementary schools and
\njunior high schools across Indonesia.<\/p>\n
For this year, the funding would partly come from the Rp 4.13
\ntrillion saved from the recent fuel price hikes, as agreed to by
\nthe House of Representatives and the Ministry of National
\nEducation during a meeting on Monday.<\/p>\n
Despite the fact that the grants will be disbursed to all
\nschools, Bambang said it would benefit poor students the most,
\nsince the funds would also cover other school expenses, such as
\nbooks and enrollment fees when they move on from elementary
\nschool to junior high school. The government has made the first
\nnine years education mandatory for all school-aged children.<\/p>\n
\"Schools will no longer be allowed to demand any kind of fees
\nfrom poor students,\" he stressed.<\/p>\n
\"They will be given grants, the amount of which will depend on
\nthe number of students in each school, not only poor students,
\nmultiplied by the cost per student,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The minister said the plan still needed the approval of the
\nHouse budgetary commission.<\/p>\n
According to the 2003 National Demographic Survey, elementary
\nschool students would need a subsidy of Rp 248,000 each annually
\nand Rp 371,000 for each junior high school student.<\/p>\n
\"Free\" education for the students who are capable of paying
\nfees would be given by limiting the kinds of fees schools will be
\nallowed to charge. \"We will decide what kinds of fees a school
\ncan collect from the non-poor,\" he said.<\/p>\n
With the number of elementary and junior high school students
\ncurrently totaling around 39 million, Bambang said, \"If we want
\nto have free education, we will have to set aside Rp 11 trillion
\nin next year's budget as a consequence.<\/p>\n
\"But because this is already mid-year, we would need only half
\nof the total amount, or only Rp 5.6 trillion. That could be
\ncovered by this year's fuel subsidy cut and from the ministry's
\nbudget.\"<\/p>\n
Previously, the Ministry of National Education had proposed
\nthat free education be given in the form of block grants to
\nschools.<\/p>\n
Under the proposal, elementary schools would receive Rp 43
\nmillion and junior high schools Rp 185 million per year, Bambang
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Data from Bambang's office shows that as of 2003 Indonesia had
\n146,052 elementary schools and 20,918 junior high schools.<\/p>\n
The House and the education ministry have agreed on the block
\ngrant disbursement mechanism and the total budget allocation for
\nthe program, but will still discuss further details.<\/p>\n
Several education experts have welcomed the plan as an initial
\nstep to providing free education.<\/p>\n
\"This initial step must be followed by strict supervision, so
\nthat schools will not impose more fees on their students,\"
\nParamadina University's Institute for Educational Reform director
\nHutomo Dananjaya said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
He said the government should either make sure that all
\nschools, including those considered financially sound, were given
\nthe grants, or that it should be selective and give the grants
\nonly to schools that really need them.<\/p>\n
A similar response came from educational expert Arief Rachman,
\nwho said that it was natural that things that were said to be
\ncompulsory must be fully funded by the government.<\/p>\n
It is \"about time the government did so\", he added. (003)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/free-primary-education-set-for-july-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }