Schools defy regulation, sell textbooks to students<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jambi\/Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Nurhayati looks worried and seems reluctant to go to school. The
\n11-year-old sixth grader has reason to worry. She does not have
\nthe money to pay her teacher at SDN 51\/IV elementary school in
\nTelanaipura district in Jambi city for textbooks.<\/p>\n
Her three teachers distributed seven textbooks to each student
\non July 21. Each student is expected to pay for them.<\/p>\n
Ironically, the books were distributed on the same day as
\neducation minister issued regulation No. 11\/2005 prohibiting
\nteachers, education staff and school committees from selling
\nschool textbooks to students<\/p>\n
Nurhayati said the textbooks she was expected to buy were
\nprinted by three different publishers, including Mediatama and
\nArya Duta. Each book costs between Rp 17,000 and Rp 32,000.<\/p>\n
In all, Nurhayati owes the school Rp 145,000 for the books, a
\nbig amount for her family, which relies on her mother's income as
\na small-time dressmaker.<\/p>\n
\"Every student has to buy the books distributed by the
\nteachers. If we don't, we can't follow the lessons,\" she told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
She said pupils could pay for the books in monthly
\ninstallments based on the students' parents financial ability.<\/p>\n
Responding to the problem, head of Jambi city's education
\noffice, Havidz Aima, said his office had told schools about the
\nministerial regulation. However, many schools had already sold
\nschool textbooks to students, since they were unaware of the new
\nregulation, he added.<\/p>\n
Moreover, many schools had made agreements with textbooks
\npublishers before the new school year started, making it
\nimpossible for the education office to stop the practice.<\/p>\n
However, Havidz insisted the regulation took effect on the day
\nof its issuance. \"And every school has to oblige,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that schools could buy books, but could not resell
\nthem to students. The schools, he said, could keep the books in
\ntheir libraries for students to borrow.<\/p>\n
He warned that sanctions, ranging from administrative
\npunishment to dismissal, would be imposed on teachers and school
\nmanagements proven to be selling school textbooks to students.<\/p>\n
He told schools to deal with the shortage of school textbooks
\nby using their \"students operational funds\" instead of collecting
\nmoney from students. The books, he said, could be borrowed from
\nschool library.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, students were also obliged to buy books from
\ntheir schools.<\/p>\n
At MTsN senior high school in Sleman regency, students were
\nobligated to buy books printed by Erlangga publisher in Surabaya.
\nWithout notice, students were given textbooks with a circular
\nexplaining that they had to pay for the books.<\/p>\n
\"Out of the blue, I was given textbooks with a circular from
\nthe principal explaining students' obligation to buy the books.
\nI'd never heard of it before that,\" said one student, Asti, while
\nshowing the circular to the Post on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The circular, dated July 23 and signed by her school
\nprincipal, obligates first-year students to pay Rp 50,000 for
\ntextbooks, second-year students Rp 85,000 and third-year students
\nRp 87,000. It advised that students were to pay in full by Oct.
\n29.<\/p>\n
MTsN's deputy principal, Ali Nur Salim, said the students were
\nnot obligated to buy books and could return them if they did not
\nwant to buy them from the school.<\/p>\n
\"Even though the books have been distributed, the students can
\nreturn them if they don't want them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
One parent, Sutarjo, whose son is a third-year student at SMPN
\n1 Mlati junior high school in Sleman, said his son had to pay the
\nschool Rp 50,000 for books. \"So I have to give my son money to
\nbuy the books,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The head of the Yogyakarta Education Office, Sugito, said the
\nproblem had emerged because many schools had started selling
\ntextbooks before the ministerial regulation was issued.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/schools-defy-regulation-sell-textbooks-to-students-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}