Private colleges on the brink of collapse<\/p>\n
Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post\/Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Hundreds of private higher learning institutions in Yogyakarta,
\nconsidered by many as the nation's education center, are on the
\nbrink of collapse due to a lack of students.<\/p>\n
The shortage of students has reduced revenues at the
\ninstitutions, and they are having difficulties covering
\noperational costs. Some of them have even suffered losses and it
\nis predicted that around 40 percent could close down in two to
\nthree years, according to a senior educator.<\/p>\n
The head of Yogyakarta's Private Institute Association,
\nSugiyanto, said that the shortage of students was due, in part,
\nto the fact that the more prestigious Gadjah Mada University had
\nexpanded its diploma programs, and the status of the state-run
\nTeacher's College (IKIP) had been changed to that of a
\nuniversity.<\/p>\n
In previous years, candidates who failed the state university
\nentrance exams would immediately seek places in the private
\ninstitutes. \"But, now, they prefer to enroll in the UGM
\nextension\/vocational programs, so the allotment for private
\ncolleges has decreased,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also added that parents were now afraid to send their
\nchildren to Yogyakarta to study, because of reports on rampant
\ndrug abuse and fornication among the students in that city.<\/p>\n
\"A survey once showed that 40 percent of parents preferred not
\nto send their children to Yogyakarta because they were afraid
\ntheir children would become involved in sex and drugs,\" said
\nSugiyanto, who is also a rector at the Ahmad Dahlan University
\n(UAD).<\/p>\n
He said that almost all private institutes grouped in the
\nassociation were having difficulties bringing in new students.
\nOnly UAD and the Yogyakarta Muhammadiyah University (UMY) made it
\nto 100 percent of their quotas last year.<\/p>\n
The main reason for this trend is that the private institutes
\ndepend entirely on student fees. If student numbers continue to
\ndwindle, they would surely have problems covering their costs.<\/p>\n
\"What happens now is natural selection. Only renowned and
\nprominent private institutes will be able to continue to exist.
\nAround 40 percent of the private institutes in Yogyakarta could
\ncollapse within the next few years,\" he predicted.<\/p>\n
A staff member at the Proklamasi University's (UNPROK)
\nregistrar's office, Mawaruddin, said from the initial allotment
\nfor 800 new students in its five departments and seven study
\nprograms, only 15 percent had been filled. Only 90 students were
\nregistered as of Aug. 26, the deadline for the third phase of the
\nregistration.<\/p>\n
\"No more than 15 students have been registered at the
\nmechanical engineering department, which has a capacity of 80
\nstudents, and this decline is similar in the rest of the
\ndepartments and study programs,\" Mawaruddin told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
The decline in student enrollment, he said, had been felt
\nsince 2002. \"Our income is very small and not enough to cover
\noperational costs. We have difficulties even paying our employees
\nnow. It was a reverse situation before 2002. Before 2002, the
\ninstitute had always had to turn away students,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Wangsa Manggala University (Unwama) spokesman Manasyir
\nconcurred, saying that less than 75 percent of the 1,000 seats
\navailable had been filled by new students. While only 10 students
\nfrom the quota of 100 had enrolled in the agribusiness school
\nthus far. \"We are facing difficulties right now without being
\nsupported by the university foundation,\" he said.<\/p>",
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