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.