Higher education budget sought<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The City Council urged the city administration
\non Saturday to increase the allocated budget for the renovation
\nof state elementary schools.<\/p>\n
Siti Maryam Achmad, secretary of the City Council's Commission
\nE, which oversees welfare affairs, said the existing budget
\nallocated by the administration is very limited. It is not enough
\nto renovate the 103 schools in need of work.<\/p>\n
\"The 103 school buildings badly need renovating. The funds
\nallocation by the administration for the 1995\/1996 fiscal year,
\nhowever, reach only Rp 2.8 billion (US$1.27 million) or enough to
\nfinance the renovation of only 10 schools,\" Siti told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
She said if the city administration fails to increase the
\nbudget, it will take about 10 years to complete the renovation of
\nall the 103 schools.<\/p>\n
Siti reiterated that speeding up the renovations is important
\nto promote the learning process in the schools.<\/p>\n
\"Due to the poor condition of the school buildings, many
\nstudents are forced to borrow other buildings and study in the
\nafternoon,\" she said, adding that the students are not
\ncomfortable in the unfamiliar surroundings.<\/p>\n
Accelerating the renovations, she said, is vital
\nto make the nine-year compulsory education program a success. The
\ngovernment program aims to improve the country's human resources.<\/p>\n
The lack of renovating funds was uncovered by officials of the
\nCity Education and Teaching Office in a hearing with members of
\nthe City Council recently.<\/p>\n
The fund shortage forces the office to give priority to the
\nworst school buildings.<\/p>\n
The 10 elementary schools to be renovated this year are SDN
\nPulogebang 01\/16, SDN Cipinang Muara 01\/102, SDN Batu Ampar
\n02\/03, SDN Batu Ampar 04, SDN Kapuk 01\/02, SDN Tanah Sereal
\n01\/02, SDN Cilandak Barat 01, SDN Tanjung Barat 01, SDN Cipulir
\n09\/10 and 03\/04.<\/p>\n
Siti also urged the city administration to set aside more
\nfunds for the routine maintenance of the buildings.<\/p>\n
\"The routine maintenance is expected to prevent big damage to
\nthe schools,\" she said, acknowledging that the maintenance budget
\nhas been raised regularly but is still far from adequate. (yns)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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