Drop out rate high in W. Java schools

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Kuningan

Financial hardship could force over 16,000 elementary school students in the West Java towns of Kuningan and Cirebon to drop out of school this year, officials say.

Head of Kuningan's education office Momon Rochmana said on Tuesday that at least 6,000 of 60,000 elementary school students in Kuningan -- which has 376 schools in 32 districts -- would discontinue their studies this year.

In Cirebon municipality, 10,073 elementary school students from low-income families have said they will probably not attend high school.

However, Momon said the figures were preliminary as his office was in the process of compiling a list of children whose parents were in difficult circumstances.

"We don't want them to be excluded from school. We have listed 6,000 students who cannot attend high school. (Once we complete the list) that number could increase," said Momon.

He said the Kuningan administration planned to issue cards that exempted poor students from paying fees. The program, funded by the West Java administration, will start in the new school year.

Kuningan Regent Aang Hamid Suganda said the financial assistance amounted to some Rp 3.4 billion.

However, Hamid said, only 3,400 elementary school students would receive assistance through the project.

Under the program, each student will be granted assistance worth Rp 1 million per year in the form of textbooks, paper and pens, transport money, school uniforms and shoes. It will also cover their monthly tuition fees.

Aang said the money would be managed by district heads to ensure it reached its target.

"The intention is to cut red tape and to ensure the students who need it most are assisted. District heads will work closely with subdistrict heads," he said.

The regent said his administration was working on how to assist the 2,400-plus students who would not receive help through the program, including allocating Rp 400 million from the regency's budget.

Only the amount, he said, was not enough to cover their overall needs of around Rp 2.4 billion.

"We'll also ask businesspeople, public figures and the wealthy to help those poor students. I hope the call is responded to positively," Aang said.

The deputy mayor of Cirebon, Agus Al Wafier, however, was not certain how poor students in the municipality would be helped to attend high school.

"We are trying to solve the problem by looking for financial sources, including the money saved from slashing the fuel subsidy," Agus said.