Govt moves against commercialization of school textbooks
Hera Diani The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Among the many problems clouding the country's educational system -- feudalistic teaching methods, low teacher salaries and high tuition fees -- the issue of commercialized textbooks has been a problem for parents for the past two decades.
Books are a lucrative business, not only for publishers, but also for schools and certain teachers, as students are forced to buy textbooks from the school or teacher who in turn receive commissions.
Musliah, a housewife, was baffled because the price of books kept increasing every year, yet they cannot be passed down to her younger children.
"It used to cost around Rp 70,000 (US$7.15) per package, which comprised several textbooks. Now, it's Rp 180,000 per package," said Musliah, whose husband is a small vendor.
And not only textbooks. Musliah also has to buy notebooks from the school, exercise books for each school subject, as well as pay other expenses for class picnics and blackboard maintenance.
"Students are ridiculed in front of the whole class if he (or she) do not pay."
Budi Putra, a volunteer from the ISCO foundation for poor students, pointed to the textbook package in schools in East Jakarta which can reach up to Rp 400,000.
"Whereas many parents' maximum daily wage is only Rp 20,000," he said.
It was only last week that the Minister of National Education took a stance and issued a ministerial regulation No. 11/2005 on school textbooks.
The regulation bans schools from forcing students to buy textbooks, and forbids schools and their staff from selling textbooks.
"Otherwise they can be charged with a crime, or sanctioned under government regulations for civil servants," Bahrul Hayat, a Ministry official, told reporters on Tuesday.
Publishers must put a price label on the book cover, and any cronyism with schools or teachers may land them in jail.
Based on the ministerial regulation, textbooks will also be valid for a period of five years, unless an extraordinary event takes place, the national curriculum changes, or the Minister states that certain books are no longer valid.
Schools are free to select textbooks to be used in classes, however the Ministry is now working on a recommended list of textbooks.
To help poor students, schools are obliged to provide at least 10 copies of textbooks for each subject in their library. Regional administrations are also urged to help with provision of books.
Education observer Mochtar Buchori said that before the 1980s, schools provided the textbooks that were returned by students at the end of the school year.
"But it's a different age now. Education has become a business."
To avoid commercialization of school books, he added, teachers have to be given an appropriate salary, and there has to be a good teacher-recruitment system and ongoing training for those in the profession.
"Teachers must realize that it's a noble profession. Don't become a teacher if you want to be rich," Mochtar said.