Dismissal of school committees to be recommended

Dismissal of school committees to be recommended

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta

The City Council commission overseeing public welfare revealed on
Wednesday that it had received reports from parents on burdensome
school fees and would recommend the dismissal of the school
committees responsible.

"We shall recommend to Governor Sutiyoso that he dismiss
school committees in the city as they have failed to alleviate
the burdens that parents have to shoulder," Commission E
councillor Audi Z Tambunan said.

"The committee's main function is to address problems faced by
students, particularly financial problems. But it has turned out
to be a further burden for them rather than a relief."

Tambunan referred to media reports that some parents had
complained at the large amounts requested as contributions to
schools, which ranged from Rp 2 million (US$224,700) to Rp 7.5
million per student.

"We deplore that school committees have played such a major
role in detemining the amount in contribution imposed on new
students."

Tambunan said the commission had summoned heads of both the
Jakarta Elementary School Education Agency and Jakarta Middle and
High School Education Agency to seek their clarification in the
matter.

He added that the commission would establish a fact-finding
team to check the validity of the reports.

Meanwhile, middle and high school education agency head
Margani Mustar brushed aside the allegations.

"We must bear in mind that the presence of school committees
is in line with Law No. 20/2003 on the National Education System,
which aims at achieving greater participation from the public in
developing education, amid the government's financial
constraints," Margani told The Jakarta Post.

Through the committees, parents, along with school
managements, could calculate the operating costs incurred by
schools for a year of operation and later seek solutions to plug
deficits, such as imposing a certain amount in contribution or
cross-subsidy for poor students, Margani said.

He admitted, however, that last year, the agency received
complaints from parents at the high amounts requested as
contributions.

The admission contribution required last year at state schools
in the city ranged from Rp 500,000 to Rp 4 million. Some top
schools, like SMA 8 in Bukit Duri, South Jakarta, imposed a
higher contribution of Rp 7 million.

In addition, each parent was still required to pay a monthly
contribution of Rp 40,000 to Rp 200,000.

The City Council proposed at that time that the administration
set a ceiling for parental contributions, but the proposed policy
was not followed up.

The agency is currently preparing a circular as a guideline on
contributions and solutions for poor students, which will not
specify any limit for the amount in parental contributions.

"In principle, the amount in contributions must be discussed
and agreed upon openly by committees. They should consider cross-
subsidizing poor students, as we don't want to see students
dropping out of school just because they cannot afford the fees,"
Margani concluded.