Government firm on unregistered vocational schools

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Education and Culture's Jakarta office repeated its warning yesterday to unregistered vocational schools to close if they could not meet minimum standards.

The office's head, Kusnan Ismukanto, said there were at least 21 vocational schools in Jakarta which did not have their own buildings or qualified teachers as the government's minimum standards required.

"Some of them do not even have any students. They have only name boards," Kusnan said.

Kusnan said the unregistered schools were 12 economics high schools (SMEA), five technical high schools (STM), three tourism high schools (SMIP) and 1 maritime high school (SPM).

Among the schools were SMEA Wijaya Kusuma, North Jakarta, STM Ristek Sari Mulya, East Jakarta, SMIP Pernas, North Jakarta and SPM Baruna, East Jakarta.

Speaking after a ceremony granting experimental equipment to some vocational schools, Kusnan said his office would not close the schools immediately. "We acknowledge that, in a way, they have participated in the administration's efforts in solving the education problem."

However, he told them to improve or the government would close them.

Kusnan said his office had repeatedly warned the unregistered schools to apply to the Ministry of Education and Culture's city office but most had not.

Last week, director general of basic and middle education Zaenal Arifin Achmady suggested unregistered private technical high schools be closed.

The head of the vocational training department's Jakarta office, Kasito, said the 21 schools were recorded when the office conducted a survey on the quality of vocational schools.

The survey found 90 vocational schools, including the 21, which are below minimum standard, he said.

Kasito said the owners of 69 vocational schools had applied for operational permits. "But, we agreed to give operating licenses to only 45 of them, based on the minimum standard."

The remaining 24 schools still have to improve their standards to meet the requirements, he said.

Kusnan said many parents were now interested in sending their children to vocational schools in the hope they could get jobs soon after graduating.

Compared to general high schools, whose students are supposed to continue studying at university, vocational schools are considered to be more practical for getting a job.

"I suggest, therefore, parents be selective in choosing a vocational school before sending their children," Kusnan said.

Jakarta has 515 vocational schools, 342 of which were economics high schools and 97 technical schools.

Kusnan denied students from most unregistered technical high schools were notorious for brawling.

The 90 unregistered schools had nothing to do with the schools renowned for brawling, Kusnan said. "The brawling students are from other schools, among 50 senior high schools listed by the authorities for their brutality." (07)