Annual headache

June is the time for parents to enroll their children in kindergarten, elementary school or high school. The process gives them something to complain about. Their complaints can vary and include such things as:

* There is no fixed enrollment fee. Parents have to bargain with the school of their choice until an agreement is reached. At one particular elementary school in Bintaro, for example, the enrollment fee ranges from Rp 500,000 to Rp 7 million. A friend of mine ended up paying Rp 2.3 million to enroll his kid at the school.

* At the end of the academic year a reregistration fee must be paid. Again the amount involved can be fairly large.

* On other hand, some schools have fixed enrollment fees ranging from Rp 350,000 to Rp 700,000.

There is a tendency of school foundation boards to collect as much funds as possible from parents. Parents would prefer to pay a fixed price, an amount which should apply to every potential student.

It is time a standardized entrance fee was introduced under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Culture. Parents do not want to be considered milk cows by education foundations who want to rake huge profit.

To privately run a school is a profitable business. With 100 children being charged an entrance fee of Rp 350,000 and a monthly fee of Rp 50,000, a kindergarten can reap a net profit of Rp 18 million a year.

It is essential that the Ministry of Education and Culture supervise the management of private schools so as to ensure that parents are not exploited.

SUHARSONO HADIKUSUMO

Jakarta