Education, health draft budget raise hackles

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Politicians and at least one expert criticized the 2004 draft budget allocating only Rp 20.2 trillion (US$2.3 billion) for the education and health sectors, saying it was more evidence that the government had little commitment to improving public welfare.

According to the draft budget unveiled to the House of Representatives in a plenary session here on Friday, the government proposed Rp 14.9 trillion, up by 1.16 percent from Rp 12.8 trillion in 2003 for the education sector and Rp 5.3 trillion, up by 1.13 percent from Rp 4.6 trillion in 2003 for the health sector.

"With such an insignificant increase in the education budget, it shows that the government is less concerned with this most important sector," Chairman of the House's Commission VI on education Taufiqurrachman Saleh told The Jakarta Post by telephone.

Taufiqurrahman admitted that he had already received several phone calls from numerous people expressing their disappointment over the relatively minuscule amount allocated for education.

"They are all dissatisfied with the draft budget because they think education needs to be a high priority as it is an investment in the nation's future," he said, citing for example that Malaysia and Singapore regularly spend around 35 percent of their state budgets on education. Both countries are way ahead of Indonesia in most statistical categories.

He said he was pessimistic that the government would make significant achievements in its development programs in the education sector, because the small budget would not be enough to optimize school capacity, improve the quality of basic education, grants for low-income people to send their children to schools, improve school management and teaching staff's performance and salaries.

"Supposedly the routine expenditures, except for the defense sector, could be allocated for the education sector," he conceded.

Taufiqurrahman suggested that Indonesia spend more for the two important sectors as Singapore and Malaysia have done. The amended 1945 Constitution proposes as much as 25 percent of the state budget for education.

"We are lacking in basic education. More schools need to be built, and existing elementary schools in remote areas particularly need better facilities, more qualified teachers and more literature," he said, adding the ideal education budget for the next fiscal year would be Rp 20 trillion.

Separately, education expert Arief Rachman concurred and said that the people should realize that reliance on the government to develop the education sector was a dead-end and the people should take the responsibility in their own hands.

"We should have a people-based education financing system since the largest responsibility actually lies with us.

"The government just will not pay more attention to the education and health sectors as it should according to our Constitution ... The regional councils should map out their respective financial conditions. Companies who gain a lot of profit should be asked to allocate their capital for the region's education," said Arief.

With the proposed budget, Taufik said he was pessimistic that country's Human Development Index (HDI) could be improved from its current ranking as second worst in the world. Nor would it help to improve basic education or combat the rampant illiteracy in rural areas.

"I am not sure we will be able to reach any goals. A small percent of the targets, maybe".

Arief said Indonesia would likely be able to repair its HDI only a bit higher than the current position "but it will be better than Indonesia's condition 15 years ago."

Concerning the health budget, Deputy Chairman of the House's Commission VII on health and social welfare Surya Chandra Surapaty, said he was only slightly satisfied with the proposed increase in the health budget.

He said the proposed health budget was still far below the World Health Organization (WHO)'s recommended 15 percent of the state budget.

"The budget is expected to be enough to finance the building of health system for the people," he said adding that the health system focuses on healthy living and how to keep healthy, instead of being ill and getting medicine for cures.

Surya said the House should review the health budget to give more attention to health development in urban and rural areas and to handle fatal diseases, including HIV/AIDS.