No exam fees for elementary schools<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Students of state elementary schools in the
\ncapital will be able to enroll in their final examinations
\nwithout paying any fees, an official said on Monday.<\/p>\n
The exam charges, which have been set by state schools in the
\nrange of Rp 18,200 to Rp 29,250 per student, will be paid by both
\ncity administration and the state in their budgets for the
\n1999\/2000 fiscal year beginning April 1, deputy governor for
\nsocial welfare Djailani said.<\/p>\n
The policy, he said, was intended to help Jakarta's students
\ncontinue their studies during the prolonged economic crisis.<\/p>\n
The city administration urged managers of private schools not
\nto demand money from students for the final examinations.<\/p>\n
Djailani said school operators should bear the costs of the
\nexamination process.<\/p>\n
He asked that all school authorities in the capital would
\n"have a sense of crisis so none of them tries to break the
\nrules".<\/p>\n
Djailani said the administration would "take action" against
\nerrant teachers and school principals found to disobey the
\nrulings. The teachers, for instance, would be demoted for their
\n"mistakes".<\/p>\n
The free exam regulation was stipulated in a 1999
\nGubernatorial Decree, which also set the examination fees for
\nstate elementary schools at Rp 18,200 per student and state
\nMuslim elementary schools at Rp 29,250.<\/p>\n
The ruling also stated that fees for private elementary school
\nstudents would be "handled by the school operators", Djailani
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
According to the official, Governor Sutiyoso's administration
\nhad ordered managers of state elementary schools in Jakarta to
\nfree students from all charges for the exams.<\/p>\n
"The policy is in support of the government's compulsory
\nlearning campaign for nine-year-old children across the country,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The national examination for elementary schools this year will
\ncoincide with the exams for junior high schools from May 10 to
\nMay 12, while senior high school exams will be held from May 3 to
\nMay 6.<\/p>\n
Before taking part in the national examinations, all students
\nhave to take part in the examinations organized by their schools,
\nwhich are usually held a few days earlier.<\/p>\n
Late last week, the city office of the Ministry of Education
\nand Culture proposed a 15 percent increase to this year's
\nexamination fees for junior and senior high schools in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The fees are currently set at Rp 44,000 for junior high
\nschools, Rp 59,400 for senior high schools, and Rp 70,400 for
\nvocational schools.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said he had not yet made any decision on the
\nproposal.<\/p>\n
Separately, head of the city's education and teaching agency
\nMasrul Nim said that 56 state elementary school buildings -- out
\nof the total 1,700 buildings -- in the city were in danger of
\ncollapsing.<\/p>\n
"We plan to totally renovate 16 of the buildings, hopefully
\nbeginning in April. The rest will undergo minor repairs, due to
\nthe limited budget," he said, adding that the renovation works
\nfor each building would cost about Rp 1.2 billion. (ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/no-exam-fees-for-elementary-schools-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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