Council to summon 14 principals

JAKARTA: The City Council will summon next week 14 elementary school principals in Kalideres, West Jakarta, who redirected Rp 300 million (US$33,000) of the city's assistance funds for 6,154 poor students.

Chairman of the council's Commission E for people's welfare Dani Anwar said on Tuesday that the misappropriation was revealed during a hearing with the Jakarta Education Agency on Monday, following a recent finding on the use of scholarship funds at junior high school SMP 232 in Pulogadung, East Jakarta, to furbish the principal's office.

Separately, the Jakarta Police will quiz on Wednesday SMP 232 principal Tri Jumena, as well as City Basic Education Agency head Sylviana Murni as witnesses in the alleged fraud.

Sylviana previously argued that the use of scholarship money to purchase school equipment and appliances was permissible as long as it was with the consent of the school committee.

"We will concentrate on this case first. We will investigate other schools if we find embezzlement there," said city police spokesman Tjiptono. -- JP