Govt extends university registration date

JAKARTA (JP): The government has decided to extend the deadline by which new entrants must register with state universities until late September.

The decision was taken after data showed that 30 percent of the 72,245 high school graduates awarded places at 76 state universities have yet to register.

Minister of Education and Culture Juwono Sudarsono said here yesterday that the economic crisis was the most likely reason why nearly 21,000 high school graduates had not yet taken up their rightful places at university.

"We'll extend the enrollment deadline for state universities to the third week of September," he said.

"It's very sad that this crisis will also lacerate our education because even those lucky students who have a chance to study at state universities cannot afford to pay the fees," he added.

Winning a place at a state university, especially the more prestigious ones, is recognized as a significant achievement. Tuition fees at the state-run institutions are also much cheaper.

This year 394,694 high school graduates sat the state university entrance exams which were held nationwide on June 16 and 17.

Results of the exams were announced on July 31.

Those offered places are usually given one week to register at the universities where they will go to study. That week comes to an end today.

Juwono said details of the extension period were still being worked out, but stressed that an extension was definitely needed.

He expressed hope that the extension would give students an opportunity to obtain the funds needed to enroll and said that universities would be encouraged to adopt policies to lighten the financial burden on students.

The registration fee varies between universities. Generally it includes the tuition fee for the first semester.

Data from the University of Indonesia Center of Computer Science suggests that registration fees for state universities are less than Rp 1 million.

The Ministry of Education director general of higher education, Bambang Soehendro, has predicted that this year the number of vacant places in state universities will be higher than it was last year.

Last year 60,848 students registered at state universities out of the 64,840 who were offered places. (emf)