Govt mulls idea of free education for children

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite its policy on fuel price increases not yet getting approval from the House of Representatives, the government has proposed a new scheme to be financed from welfare funds derived from the removal of fuel subsidies, which would provide free elementary education for students throughout the country.

Originally, the government had proposed to the House that it would allocate a total of Rp 17.8 trillion (US$1.9 billion) for welfare programs targeting the poor. The programs would be prioritized for education, rice subsidies, rural infrastructure, and health projects.

For the education programs, the government had planned to provide direct assistance worth Rp 5.64 trillion for the 9.6 million school students nationwide.

The government's policy to increase fuel prices has yet to get official support from the House. The scheduled plenary session on late Wednesday turned into a brawl, and was adjoined until Thursday morning.

"The new free education scheme for elementary schools nationwide will be combined with the provision of free medical services for the third class wards in state- and city-run hospitals, without the need to show welfare cards," Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi said after a cabinet meeting at the State Palace.

The government had previously allocated Rp 2.17 trillion for health services for the poor.

Without the requirement to show welfare cards, people living slightly above the poverty line could also enjoy the benefits of free school education and medical services, Sudi said.

Some people, who are ineligible for welfare cards, would have been burdened by the fuel price increases as they would not entitled to all the privileges provided by the government for the poor.

Following the fuel price increases on March 1, averaging 29 percent, prices of basic commodities and transportation have also increased. Unilateral and unjustified price rises have sparked protests from the public, despite President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono request that vendors and public transportation operators not increase prices by more than 7 percent.

The government and the House will recalculate allocations of the welfare funds without changing the total amount of Rp 17.8 trillion already budgeted.

"We will propose revisions to the state budget to the House as soon as possible," Sudi said.

He added that if the recalculation showed that there were sufficient funds in the state budget, then the government would also propose free education for junior high school.

Susilo also instructed all governors, mayors and regents to ensure that all primary commodities were available at affordable prices, including cooking fuel supplies.

At the same meeting, he also instructed relevant authorities to focus on their investigations into troubled banks, the murder of human rights activist Munir, the Pertamina oil tanker sale case, and rampant illegal logging.