'City shouldn't be allowed to sell schools'

'City shouldn't be allowed to sell schools'

The legal dispute over a land swap deal involving the SMP 56
state junior high school and property developer PT Tata Disantara
has yet to be resolved. The determined stance by the school's
teachers, students and parents in the face of prosecution by the
Jakarta administration for engaging in "unlicensed education" has
elicited various reactions. The Jakarta Post asked some people
for their opinions on the case.

Andrea Tobing, 34, is a pre-school teacher. She lives with her
parents in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta:

I don't know much about the issue, but I think no one should
be prosecuted for providing education, especially not this
teacher, Nurlela, who is said to be a very experienced teacher.

Although the building is owned by the city administration, who
can therefore demolish it or change its use to other purposes, I
think the school community, including the teachers, students and
the parents, have the right to be involved in the decision-making
process.

Furthermore, I think there should be a law forbidding the
government from selling or bartering property designated for
educational purposes to businesspeople.

I see a trend of relocating to the suburbs those schools that
are located in strategic commercial areas. Maybe it's a good idea
because most young parents now actually live in the suburbs. But
force should not be used to relocate the schools as the Jakarta
administration has been doing.

Lisa G., 30, works for a financial services firm in the
Jakarta Stock Exchange building on Jl. Jend. Sudirman, South
Jakarta. She has one child and lives with her family in
Rawabunga, Jatinegara, East Jakarta:

I think this dispute, which has led to students being dragged
into the thick of things, is clearly intolerable. Those who have
power, like businessmen, the city administration and the
political parties, must stop sacrificing students so as to
further their own interests.

I would call on the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI-P), which has being doing its best to garner the support of
the public by stepping into the dispute, to stop taking advantage
of this issue.

I also have a few questions for Abdul Latief, the businessman
who owns the property developer. Why doesn't he look for another
location for his business college? Doesn't he have lots of money?

--The Jakarta Post