Free education still uncertain in the capital

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It has been more than five months since the government promised compensation for the last fuel-price hike in the form of free education during the compulsory school years.

Another price hike is on the way, and yet free schooling remains just a promise.

"We have not received the promised money, but we have been told to come and sign the paperwork tomorrow," said Kimik Rumyati, the head teacher of State Elementary School No. 3 in Limo, Depok.

Earlier in May, the government declared that part of money saved on fuel subsidies would be used to pay for free during compulsory school years starting this academic year -- which actually started in August -- and promised that the subsidy scheme would be sustained.

However, as of Monday, schools in Greater Jakarta had yet to receive the promised Rp 235,000 annual subsidy for each elementary school student or the Rp 324,500 for each junior high school student.

The money is supposed to cover ten items: enrollment forms; school stationary; books; examination fees; extracurricular activities; minor building maintenance; electricity, water and telephone bills; teachers' bonuses; training fees, and the transportation costs of students from poor families.

However, many school managements have yet to determine how the money will be employed.

"Basically, we will use it to maintain the quality of the education we provide," Kimik said, without going into details.

But she added that whatever plan was adopted, it would not include the establishment of a library -- something the school has lacked ever since it was built in the 1980s.

With 20 percent of the school's 407 students coming from poor families, Kimik said that it would still lack money even with after the subsidies were paid. Currently, parents must pay Rp 7,000 in monthly fees, Rp 152,500 every six months for books and Rp 390,000 as an enrollment fee.

"Our annual running costs have risen to Rp 160 million from Rp 132 million last year," she said. "We don't see how we can relieve parents of the obligation to pay fees."

The managers of a number of other schools in Jakarta echoed Kimik's comments. "We will ask parents whether they want the monthly fees to be cut or use the money to be used for other things," said the headmistress of a state elementary school in South Jakarta, who requested anonymity.

At this school, parents are required to pay monthly fees of between Rp 35,000 and Rp 50,000, and Rp 235,000 for books. "The choice will be to maintain the current quality for free, or to keep paying fees and improve quality," the principal said.

Both the Jakarta and Depok elementary education agencies said that the money had been paid into the designated banks or post office branches on Monday.

However, much has been left to the discretion of the schools.

"Basically, the schools are given the freedom to choose how they will use the money as long as they do so in accordance with the guidelines," said the director of the Jakarta Elementary Education Agency, Sylviana Murni. "But, it is a must that the schools provide completely free education for poor students."

Sylviana explained that schools were required to submit monthly financial reports and would be closely monitored by the agency's supervisory team. (003)