'Close unregistered technical schools'

JAKARTA (JP): The director general of basic and middle education, Zaenal Arifin Achmady, wants unregistered privately owned technical high schools closed down.

Achmady said there were many technical high schools which operate in any old way. "They illegally tell their students to take final examinations at registered schools," he was quoted by Kompas as saying Saturday.

He called on the Education and Culture Office to take proper steps against such schools. "Just close them. And report to the police if they are stubborn."

The head of the vocational training department at the Education and Culture Office, Kasito, acknowledged in a separate interview that several technical high schools did not have permits to operate. But he was reluctant to reveal the number and names of the schools. "We are still working on this," he said, promising to announce the details Wednesday.

Rumor has it that students of most unregistered technical high schools are notorious for brawling.

According to the Education and Culture Office, brawls in the city mostly involve students of 50 senior high schools, 40 of which are privately owned technical high schools.

Jakarta has 564 state and private senior high schools.

The schools whose students become involved in brawls are inferior as they do not have laboratories and the teachers usually lack discipline, Kasito said.

Neither Kasito or Achmady said why the government has let such schools operate.

According to Achmady, the inferior schools need help to improve. "The Education and Culture Office should approach the foundations which manage the schools and tell them to set aside money to improve the schools' performances," Achmady said.

Achmady said the government should not issue any permits for new private technical high schools, unless the foundations are willing to provide laboratories and workshops.

There are currently 107 private technical high schools in Jakarta and only 37 of them meet the minimum standard set by the government, Achmady said. "Only eight technical high schools are good in Jakarta. While 81 lack facilities, such as labs and workshops."

The head of City Education and Culture Office, Kusnan Ismukanto, once suggested that inferior technical high schools merge. (sur)