Parents unfamiliar with school bodies<\/p>\n
Recent reports on alleged corruption cases at several state
\nschools shocked Jakartans, particularly parents. As the current
\nstate budget allocated for education falls far short of the 20
\npercent mandated in the Constitution, many schools ask parents to
\npay maintenance fees.The Jakarta Post's Urip Hudiono has been
\nlooking into the issue. This is the second of three articles.<\/p>\n
Although a school committee, or Komitas Sekolah, has a vital role
\nin a school's management and operations, few parents and
\ncommunity figures take the initiative to join one, as was
\nobserved at some of the schools now facing allegations of budget
\nmisuse.<\/p>\n
\"We have to admit that many parents still don't take part in
\nthe school committee, because the concept was only formulated and
\nimplemented two years ago,\" said Suryadi, school committee
\nsecretary at state junior high school SMPN 250 in Cipete Utara,
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Suryadi, the physical education teacher at SMPN 250, added
\nthat only several parents representing each class had attended
\nthe committee election. The school has a student body of 800
\ndivided among 20 classes.<\/p>\n
\"But fortunately, after the committee began its task of
\nworking together with the principal in managing the school, many
\nother parents came to take part in our meetings, especially in
\nthe school budget meeting held every August,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Committee head Soebandrio, a parent, had questioned the
\nschool's former principal last October on the use of Rp 1.2
\nbillion (US$141,176) from the 2002-2003 school budget.<\/p>\n
The City Education Agency closed the case by simply
\ntransferring the principal to another school. As of now, no
\nformal investigation has been conducted.<\/p>\n
The school committee scheme was established in compliance with
\nMinistry of National Education Decree No. 44\/2002, supplemented
\nby Law No. 20\/2003 on national education system, which stipulate
\nthat education is not the sole responsibility of the government,
\nbut also of parents and the greater community.<\/p>\n
The committees are thus tasked with monitoring and evaluating
\nthe monthly financial reports of their respective schools, copies
\nof which must be filed as a public record with the education
\nagency, its municipal offices and school committees, and are
\nsubject to public audits.<\/p>\n
A general lack of knowledge on the principles and fundamental
\nfunctions of a school committee had left a loophole for
\ncorruption, so that many committees were mere rubber-stamp bodies
\nmanipulated by principals, said a coalition of non-governmental
\norganizations focusing on educational issues.<\/p>\n
The situation has thus left much room open for suspicions, and
\nSulastri, principal of state elementary school SDN IKIP in
\nRawamangun, East Jakarta, was recently accused of colluding with
\nthe school committee to misuse the school budget.<\/p>\n
She has denied the allegations that she single-handedly
\nappointed committee members for her own benefit.<\/p>\n
\"All committee members were transparently elected by the
\nstudents' parents,\" she said. \"We even put up banners on the
\nstreets asking anyone from the public concerned about the school
\nto join and register as candidates.\"<\/p>\n
Sulastri and the school committee were accused of misusing an
\nestimated Rp 464 million in state funds and examination fees
\nsince 2001.<\/p>\n
\"The reason for setting up two budgets was to make a clear
\ndistinction between school expenses that would be covered by
\nstate funds and those that would be covered by funds from parent
\ndonations, and to enhance accountability for both,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Sulastri said the school had received donations from parents
\nto cover the school's annual expenses of some Rp 2 billion, as
\nthe Rp 46 million in monthly disbursements of state funds was
\nonly enough to cover the teachers' salaries and their
\ntransportation expenses.<\/p>\n
\"But I always consult the committee when making a decision on
\nany school policies, including drafting the budget,\" she said.<\/p>\n
SDN IKIP school committee head Arsyad Kasmar backed up
\nSulastri's explanations and added that all committee meetings
\nwere open to parents, although only a few participated regularly.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/parents-unfamiliar-with-school-bodies-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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