Rectors' Forum backs special university entry<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Rectors' Forum supported on Friday the implementation of
\nspecial admission at state universities, but at the same time
\ncalled on the government to draft a law providing subsidies for
\nintelligent students with less fortunate backgrounds to enter
\nstate universities.<\/p>\n
\"It (the special admission) is fine, but we must consider
\ndrafting a law ensuring that subsidies reach poor people wanting
\nto study at state universities,\" Trisakti University rector Thoby
\nMutis said.<\/p>\n
The Rectors' Forum involves both state-owned and private
\nuniversities across the country.<\/p>\n
Thoby said using the fees collected from rich students was
\nnecessary to subsidize poorer students.<\/p>\n
Thoby also called on businesspeople to follow measures taken
\nby their counterparts in advanced countries to allocate 15
\npercent of profits for social activities, including education.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the Rectors' Forum, Zulkifli Husin, who is the
\nrector of Bengkulu University, concurred with Thoby, but noted
\nthat state-owned universities must also ensure that their
\nfacilities and education standards were improving.<\/p>\n
Several state universities, including the University of
\nIndonesia (UI), the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), the
\nBogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) and the University of Gadjah
\nMada (UGM), have implemented a special admission for new students
\nwith fees more expensive than those required for normal students.<\/p>\n
UI has allocated a maximum quota of 20 percent of 3,000 new
\nstudent seats for the special admission program. Students who
\npass the special admission test will be required to pay fees of
\nbetween Rp 25 million and Rp 75 million.<\/p>\n
ITB has allotted 200 seats for students from the special
\nadmission scheme with tuition fees of Rp 45 million, while IPB
\nearmarked a 10 percent quota out of 3,000 new student seats for
\nspecial admission students.<\/p>\n
The special admission program has sparked protests from most
\nstudents and people in the country, who are worried the move is
\nthe beginning of the commercialization of education.<\/p>\n
Many fear that poor people will not be able to enter state
\nuniversities because of the expensive tuition fees.<\/p>\n
The government has responded to the controversy by allowing
\nstate universities to decide whether or not they will continue
\nwith the program.<\/p>\n
Zulkifli said the special admission program should be tested
\nfor up to two years.<\/p>\n
\"But if the government raises the education budget from about
\nRp 13 trillion or 4 percent of the total state budget at present
\nto about 10 percent, we can guarantee that such a special
\nadmission is no longer necessary.\"<\/p>\n
Sri Sumantri, rector of Jayabaya University, said the special
\nadmission program could help state universities finance its human
\nresources to carry out research, study abroad, improve their
\neducation system, therefore improving the quality of the state
\nuniversities and their graduates.<\/p>",
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