{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1033443,
        "msgid": "school-donation-not-mandatory-president-1447893297",
        "date": "1996-09-17 00:00:00",
        "title": "School 'donation' not mandatory: President",
        "author": null,
        "source": "JP",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "School 'donation' not mandatory: President JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto warned school principals yesterday that they do not have the right to ask for \"donations\" when parents are paying their children's tuition fees. The President made it clear that principals should never ask parents for donations without consulting with parent-teachers associations.",
        "content": "<p>School 'donation' not mandatory: President<\/p>\n<p>JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto warned school principals<br>\nyesterday that they do not have the right to ask for \"donations\"<br>\nwhen parents are paying their children's tuition fees.<\/p>\n<p>The President made it clear that principals should never ask<br>\nparents for donations without consulting with parent-teachers<br>\nassociations.<\/p>\n<p>The President's message was conveyed by Minister of Education<br>\nand Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro, who met with him to discuss<br>\neducational matters.<\/p>\n<p>\"Don't force parents to pay anything they cannot afford,\"<br>\nWardiman quoted the President as saying.<\/p>\n<p>Soeharto's call came in response to ministry reports that<br>\nparents in Jakarta and other major cities have been lodging<br>\ncomplaints about having to pay the \"donations\".<\/p>\n<p>Parents say that the unexpected costs are inconsistent with<br>\nthe government's policy to promote education in its effort to<br>\nbecome an industrialized nation.<\/p>\n<p>Some parents in Jakarta have reported having to pay up to Rp 8<br>\nmillion (US$3,400) in \"education donations\", the term used to<br>\nsolicit money for school development purposes that principals<br>\nusually decline to specify.<\/p>\n<p>Wardiman said that state schools are allowed to charge a<br>\nmaximum donation of Rp 45,000. He did not say if principals would<br>\nbe punished for violating the maximum.<\/p>\n<p>Last month, students from three state senior high schools in<br>\nJakarta went on strike to protest the fees.<\/p>\n<p>Students from one of the schools went so far as to accuse<br>\ntheir principal of embezzling money, while those at other schools<br>\nhave staged sit-ins to demand lower tuition fees.<\/p>\n<p>Wardiman said that he has evidence to support his theory that<br>\nthe school protests were masterminded by \"third parties\" that<br>\nhave personal grudges with the headmasters. (ste)<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/school-donation-not-mandatory-president-1447893297",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}