Another government faux-pas

Another government faux-pas

Only few months ago, the local media was full of the
government's bright idea to introduce a US$50 tax for tourists
who want to spend their holidays in beautiful Indonesia, and to
replace the 60-day tourist visa with a 30-day one.

Now, another act of monumental dim-wittedness has entered the
political stage, this time directed by the Ministry of National
Education's Language Center: All expatriates have to pass a
Bahasa Indonesia proficiency test.

With all due respect for Indonesia, its people and language:
Get real!

Add up the costs to set up and run institutions and staff to
hold these tests throughout Indonesia (and please, do not forget
to include the "donation" money, paid by expatriates who prefer
to bypass this test), and this large amount should be invested in
teachers' training, so that something like the following cannot
happen.

A good friend of mine, a senior high school student, had not
once seen his English teacher in class over the last school year,
but passed his final!

Final pop quiz for the Ministry of National Education: Why do
you let rich Indonesians (only a few percent of the population,
the majority of whom are poor) send their children abroad to
study (The Jakarta Post, Aug. 24, p. 18)?

If your answer is correct, you are upgraded for the next faux-
pas.

MICHAEL P. BEER
Amlapura, Bali