Free education still uncertain in the capital

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)