Wardiman blasted for plan to regulate private colleges<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): House members yesterday criticized Minister of
\nEducation and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro for his plan to
\nregulate the management of private universities.<\/p>\n
They said a new decree now being drafted gives the government
\ntoo much power to interfere in the internal affairs of the
\nuniversities.<\/p>\n
Abdul Choliq Murod from the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
\nand Umroh Muchfudhoh from the United Development Party (PPP)
\nduring a hearing with Wardiman cautioned that the plan should be
\nwell thought through before it is implemented.<\/p>\n
\"It should be announced to the public in detail to prevent any
\ndisadvantages on their part,\" said Umroh.<\/p>\n
\"Private universities need government support but they have to
\nmaintain their independence too,\" Choliq added.<\/p>\n
A draft of the decree which has been circulating in public
\nhas sparked criticism from university administrators.<\/p>\n
Wardiman made the draft available to the public to encourage
\ndiscourse before he finalizes the regulation.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, he defended the decree's objective which is to
\nprotect students who pay large sums of money to study at private
\nuniversities.<\/p>\n
The decree would provide universities with more information on
\nthe current supply and demand market of the country's labor
\nforce, thus coinciding with the government's \"link and match\"
\nprogram which prevents an oversupply of graduates originating
\nfrom a particular field.<\/p>\n
Wardiman said the decree would also improve the quality of
\nprivate universities, which outnumber state universities by 1,100
\nto 49.<\/p>\n
In the past year, a number of leading private universities
\nhave experienced internal problems, mostly over the selection of
\nrectors, often at the expense of the students. The decree, if
\npassed, would allow for government intervention.<\/p>\n
Wardiman said the decree, which is still in the making, would
\ncontinue to involve public input including from BM-PTSI, the
\nforum of private universities.<\/p>\n
The forum last month hailed the government's plan, saying that
\nafter in-depth studies, it found no indications of the
\ngovernment's interference in the universities' internal affairs.<\/p>\n
BM-PTSI Chairman Moeslim Tahir said the decree intends to set
\nthe parameters for national education and \"that's entirely the
\nright of the government.\"<\/p>\n
In praise of the move, he acknowledged that this is the first
\ntime that the government has invited the forum to discuss a
\nplanned decree.<\/p>\n
Five-day school<\/p>\n
The hearing also discussed try-outs of the five-day school
\nweek and possibilities of its implementation in the future.<\/p>\n
Z.A. Achmady, Director General for Elementary and Middle
\nEducation, said the government would not push schools to
\nparticipate in the try-out programs.<\/p>\n
Each school has the last word on whether or not it could
\nimplement the five-day week.<\/p>\n
\"I understand we still face many technical problems and we are
\nnot accustomed to such a system, but we will go on with the try-
\nouts,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Among the problems, he said, is the fact that many schools,
\ndue to a lack of school buildings, have to run under morning and
\nafternoon shifts.<\/p>\n
Extra expenses for lunch money and possibly transportation, as
\nwell as seeking appropriate activities for the extra weekday,
\nwere other problems which had to be resolved.<\/p>\n
\"In the future, we may end up with several schools having
\nfive-day school weeks and others with six-day weeks,\" he pointed
\nout.(pwn)<\/p>",
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