Govt goes ahead with its plan to appoint top grade schools<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An official says the authorities will forge
\nahead with their plan to appoint six state-run high schools as
\ntop grade schools, saying that such a policy will not create
\nexclusivity among high schools here.<\/p>\n
\"The only advantage for the appointees is more freedom to
\naccept students from any part of the city. At present, state-
\nowned high schools can only take in students who reside in the
\nsame mayoralty as the school,\" Soebroto, section head at the
\nJakarta office of the Ministry of Education and Culture, told The
\nJakarta Post yesterday.<\/p>\n
The six high schools are SMAN 70 and SMAN 8 in South Jakarta,
\nSMAN 68 in Central Jakarta, SMAN 81 in East Jakarta, SMAN 78 in
\nWest Jakarta and SMAN 13 in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
City councilors had previously opposed the plan because they
\nbelieved it failed to address the real problems with the
\neducational system. They also argued that such a policy could
\nlead to the schools becoming playgrounds for children of the rich
\nand famous.<\/p>\n
Tunggul Siagian, chairman of the Jakarta Chapter of Privately
\nOrganized Education (Majelis Pendidikan Swasta DKI), said earlier
\nthat the prestige associated with the designated schools \"might
\ninduce some high-ranking officials to release katebeletje
\n(references) to the principals of the schools to accept their
\nchildren, regardless of their intellectual ability.\"<\/p>\n
Soebroto gave his assurance that the policy will neither
\ncreate an exclusive atmosphere nor spawn jealousy because the
\nschools will not set academic admission standards. He added that
\nthe schools will charge the same school fees and apply a
\ncurriculum similar to that at ordinary schools.<\/p>\n
\"The freedom to accept students from other mayoralties is
\ntheir only advantage because it will give students with good
\ngrades a wider range of choices,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to Soebroto, the program has the full support of the
\nMinister of Education and Culture as it aims to encourage other
\nhigh schools to rise to the level of the six appointed schools.<\/p>\n
Soebroto also said the number of high school graduates inched
\nupwards from 99.21 percent in 1993 to 99.25 percent this year, an
\nindication of improvements in the education system here.<\/p>\n
All high schools in Jakarta announced the names of their
\ngraduates on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that such progress meant little in the grand
\nscheme of things, but stressed that to reach the elusive 100
\npercent figure every percentage point counts.<\/p>\n
Eka Sudarba, the office's spokesman, added that this year, the
\ngraduation rate at state-run high schools reached 99.51 percent
\nwhile that of private high schools checked in at 98.75 percent.<\/p>\n
However, Eka refused to comment on the widespread belief that
\nstate-owned high schools have lower standards than private ones,
\nwhich explained the latter's slightly lower graduation rate. (03)<\/p>",
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