Upset parents and students protest school enrollment<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Enraged parents and students flocked to the
\nJakarta Office of Ministry of Education and Culture yesterday to
\nprotest questionable school enrollment criteria.<\/p>\n
Parents claim that their children were not admitted to the
\nschools of their choice even with scores above the minimum
\nrequired.<\/p>\n
They suspect that there have been mistakes in either the
\ndetermination of their children's final exam scores (NEM) or in
\nthe enrollment procedures.<\/p>\n
Officials also suspect that at least one elementary school has
\nbeen dishonest in giving exceptionally high scores to its
\nstudents applying to a popular state junior high school.<\/p>\n
The problem essentially stems from the fact that the education
\noffice and the schools issue different score lists.<\/p>\n
A parent said her daughter, an elementary school graduate from
\nSunter, North Jakarta, has final scores of 28.6 but the office
\nsays that her score was only 24.<\/p>\n
"The minimum score required by a state junior high school is
\n26 so she cannot be admitted," the mother said. "I do not know
\nhow this could have happened. I have been going back and forth
\nhere for two days."<\/p>\n
An employee at one of the 16 posts set up to receive
\ncomplaints assured her that the matter would be taken care of
\nproperly.<\/p>\n
Computerization<\/p>\n
The enrollment for secondary schools is computerized at the
\nCity Office.<\/p>\n
In Ciputat, Tangerang, other parents questioned why elementary
\ngraduates with low scores could be admitted to such popular
\njunior high schools as the state SMPN I while their children with
\nhigher scores had been refused.<\/p>\n
A source at the City Office also expressed his suspicion of a
\nlist of elementary graduates with unbelievably high scores of 48
\nin one East Jakarta school.<\/p>\n
"This would mean a student got 10 in almost all of the five
\nmajor subjects," the source said.<\/p>\n
The head of the City Education Office, Kusnan Ismukanto,
\nassured that each mistake found would be corrected, though he
\nadded, "The mechanism will not likely be changed."<\/p>\n
"We have been doing this for 11 years and there have not been
\nany serious problems."<\/p>\n
Students with below average scores that have already been
\nadmitted by mistake will not been removed because, he said, "this
\nwas our fault."<\/p>\n
Ismukanto also urged the authorities to investigate any foul
\nplay, citing bribery as a likely possibility. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/upset-parents-and-students-protest-school-enrollment-1447893297",
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