Govt forms teams to curb academic titles

JAKARTA (JP): The government followed up its commitment to cleanup dubious educational institutions by forming three special teams to regulate the awarding of academic titles.

Ministry of National Education's Director General of Higher Education, Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro, in a statement here on Monday said the teams were charged with various specific tasks including drafting a bill law on the presentation of academic titles.

They will only have about two weeks to complete their work as a deadline of Feb. 15 has been set.

The head of the Coordinating Body for Private College, Ronny Nitibaskara, will lead the team assigned to draft the bill.

Another team led by Suprodjo Pusposutardjo, director of academic facilities development in the ministry, will set up procedures for obtaining degrees.

Eko Budihardjo, rector of the Diponegoro University in Semarang, has been assigned with disseminating information on the guidelines and procedures setup by the other two teams.

Each of the three team leaders will choose another two or three people to assist them in their work.

Establishment of the three teams was agreed last month following a meeting between Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin with 19 rectors.

The ministry is clamping down on the mushrooming number of private educational institutions with dubious reputations. The government has also said it would like to limit the flagrant use of academic titles often found in the public.(04)