Students want principal removed<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Some 300 students from SMU 97 senior high school
\nin Ciganjur, South Jakarta, staged a protest at the Ministry of
\nNational Education on Tuesday, demanding the removal of their
\nheadmaster for his alleged involvement in school funds graft.<\/p>\n
The students who arrived in Metromini mini buses and several
\nother vehicles started their protest around noon.<\/p>\n
\"We have been staging a strike by not attending our classes
\nfor the past three days,\" said one of the protesters.<\/p>\n
In their statement the group demanded their principal, Nelizar
\nGajali and his deputies A.A. Hasibuan and Pafarudin be removed
\nfrom their post following alleged embezzlement of millions of
\nrupiah from OSIS (Organisasi Siswa Intra Sekolah) fees, school
\ndevelopment budget and funds from the World Bank.<\/p>\n
\"We want the headmaster to be tried!\" shouted the students.<\/p>\n
\"Whenever we plan a students' event and ask for funds, he
\n(Nelizar) always said that there is not enough money to finance
\nthe activity,\" the student said.<\/p>\n
The OSIS fund could reportedly amount to some Rp 40 million
\nper year, the student said.<\/p>\n
The group, which was accompanied by four supervisory teachers,
\nmet with the secretary-general of the directorate general for
\nprimary and secondary education Baidlowi and the Ministry's
\nspokesman Soemardi Dwidjosusastro.<\/p>\n
\"We will channel your aspirations to the Minister (Yahya
\nMuhaimin) but as for legal proceedings it is not up to us. The
\nministry will file the report and investigate the matter
\ninternally,\" Baidlowi said.<\/p>\n
Reports, however, revealed that Nelizar has been put on non-
\nactive duty by the Ministry of National Education Jakarta
\nprovincial office as of Tuesday, pending further investigation
\ninto the alleged graft case.<\/p>\n
The group eventually dispersed peacefully around 1:30 p.m.
\n(edt)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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