Parents complain of illegal fees<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Susi Herawati filed a complaint with the City Council on
\nWednesday that a state elementary school in Warakas, North
\nJakarta, required her to pay Rp 200,000 (US$21.7) as a
\n\"guarantee\" that her son would be admitted to the school.<\/p>\n
\"A teacher at the school told me to give the principal an
\nenvelope containing Rp 200,000 if I wanted my son to be
\nadmitted,\" she said, adding that she put Rp 100,000 in the
\nenvelope instead.<\/p>\n
\"Many parents took turns meeting the principal in his office
\nduring the registration period.\"<\/p>\n
As her son was eventually admitted to the school, Susi still
\nhad to pay Rp 220,500 for books and Rp 250,000 for uniforms. The
\nschool required that all fees had to be paid before the new
\nacademic year started on July 19.<\/p>\n
\"I cannot imagine the burden experienced by other students'
\nparents as many of them work as porters at Tanjung Priok Port and
\nas street vendors,\" said Susi's husband Wiji.<\/p>\n
Susi and Wiji's experience is an example of parents
\ncomplaining about fees imposed by schools although the city
\nadministration has prohibited schools from charging parents
\nbefore Aug. 6 for elementary schools and Aug. 21 for middle and
\nhigh schools. The fees are supposed to be first agreed upon by
\nparents and the school board.<\/p>\n
A protest over exorbitant school fees was also launched by
\nstate high school students in West Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta,
\non Wednesday in front of their school.<\/p>\n
A student, who requested to remain anonymous, said each of
\nthem had to pay Rp 390,000 for a re-registration fee, Rp 35,000
\nfor repainting of the school building and another Rp 300,000 for
\nbooks.<\/p>\n
\"We have also received complaints from parents from other
\nschools on the same issue,\" said councillor Syamsidar Siregar of
\nCommission E on people's welfare and education after meeting with
\nSusi and Wiji.<\/p>\n
\"The city education agencies must not only hand out a circular
\non book procurement. It must regulate all fees imposed on parents
\nto avoid similar complaints about excessive fees that occur year
\nafter year during the school admission period,\" she added.<\/p>\n
Syamsidar was referring to a circular issued by the city
\nelementary education agency dated July 29. The circular prohibits
\nschools from requiring students to purchase books from school
\ncooperatives.<\/p>\n
She suggested a meeting between school committees and the
\nmunicipality-level education council six months before the new
\nacademic year starts.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/parents-complain-of-illegal-fees-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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