`The govt sells education like a commodity to highest bidder'<\/p>\n
Zakki Hakim and Arya Abhiseka, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A lot of tension was in evidence on most students' faces on
\nTuesday, when they gathered in a hall at state vocational school
\nSMKN 39 in Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta, before taking a state
\nuniversity admission test (SPMB).<\/p>\n
As the school bell rang, the level of nervousness showing on
\neach student's face increased dramatically. Some sighed and some
\nwere saying prayers.<\/p>\n
Rifki, 18, one of the students who just graduated from state
\nhigh school SMUN 47 in Tanah Kusir, South Jakarta, said that he
\nwas hopeful that he could enroll at a state university and
\ntherefore he was willing to take the two-day SPMB, which began on
\nTuesday nationwide.<\/p>\n
He said that his entire future depended on the test because he
\nfound out recently that he had failed a special admission test
\nheld by Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), making the SPMB
\nhis last resort for admission to a state university.<\/p>\n
Rifki is one of 53,403 students in Jakarta, who wish to enroll
\nat 48 state universities involving 1,583 study programs,
\nnationwide, through SPMB.<\/p>\n
In total, there are about 440,000 students nationwide vying
\nfor 82,969 spots at various state universities across Indonesia.<\/p>\n
This year's number of SPMB participants in Jakarta declined
\nfrom 57,604 students in 2002. An official said that there were
\nvarious reasons for the decline.<\/p>\n
Koesmardiono, who chairs the state university admission test
\nof the Jakarta chapter, said the higher prices for registration
\nforms was one reason.<\/p>\n
\"Last year, the registration forms cost each participant only
\nbetween Rp 75,000 (US$8.4) and Rp 90,000. Now, the forms cost
\nbetween Rp 95,000 and Rp 120,000, and many families still cannot
\nafford that,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Koesmardiono said another significant factor was the autonomy
\ngranted to four state universities -- University of Indonesia,
\nITB, Gadjah Mada University and the Bogor Institute of
\nAgriculture -- to hold their own special admission tests, apart
\nfrom the SPMB.<\/p>\n
Around 20 percent of the total admissions in the universities
\nwere allocated for students taking part in the special admission
\ntests.<\/p>\n
In order for students to take part in the special tests, they
\nhad to pay between Rp 25 million and Rp 250 million for admission
\nfees. However, the money would not guarantee them acceptance to
\nthe universities, unless they passed the tests.<\/p>\n
However, a student claimed on Tuesday that he failed to pass a
\nspecial admission test for one state university because he stated
\nin his registration form that he could only pay Rp 45 million for
\nhis admission fee.<\/p>\n
Later, he found out that some of his friends, who were
\naccepted, agreed to pay Rp 75 million in admission fees.<\/p>\n
Parents have criticized the universities for charging
\nexpensive fees to be accepted through the special admission
\ntests.<\/p>\n
Hadi Isuryadi, one of the protesting parents who accompanied
\nhis son to the SPMB, said on Tuesday that if the schools needed
\nmore operational funds, they should obtain it from other sources
\ninstead of squeezing parents for tens of millions of rupiah.<\/p>\n
It shows that the government has treated education as nothing
\nbut a commodity on sale to the highest bidder, rather than a
\nprocess to improve the intelligence of the nation, he asserted.<\/p>\n
Apart from paying high fees, Hadi said he and other parents
\nhad to spend a lot of money to send their children for extra
\nlessons, termed \"test guidance courses\" so they would have a
\nbetter chance of passing the SPMB.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Brojo Koesworo, a student from SMUN 78 in
\nKemanggisan, West Jakarta, said the subjects taught at his school
\nand extra courses he had to take after school hours were still
\ninsufficient for him to be optimistic that he would be accepted
\nat a state university.<\/p>",
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