Govt praised for education budget rise

JAKARTA (JP): Words of praise from legislators and an education expert poured in when the government announced it had prioritized education in the 2002 draft state budget.

"I am very happy to learn of the government's commitment and hope it will help improve teachers' welfare," Marwah Daud Ibrahim, a member of the House of Representatives Commission VI on human resources, said on Friday.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri said in her speech at a House plenary session on Friday that the government planned to allocate some Rp 11.6 trillion (US$1.28 billion) of its development expenditure for education. It accounts for 24.7 percent of total development spending.

Of the budget for routine expenditure, education will receive Rp 4.5 trillion. In total, education is allocated Rp 16.1 trillion in the proposed 2002 state budget.

Megawati said the larger allocation would be used to improve the quality of education and school facilities across the country, especially for the poor and refugees.

Speaking to journalists after the announcement of the draft budget, Marwah supported the President's remarks, saying that more attention should be given to poor students and displaced children.

"Improving education facilities and providing scholarships for poor students should be included in the main agenda of the government," Marwah of Golkar Party faction said.

She underlined the importance of strictly controlling fund disbursements so as to prevent any irregularities.

Legislator Ali Masykur Moesa of the National Awakening Party (PKB) considered the decision positively, saying it indicated that the government intended to take into account people's interests.

"However, we have to remember that such a policy will burden state finances, and may have a negative effect in the long term because our country is still in crisis and badly in need of steady economic growth," Ali said.

The results of a survey by Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC), released on Sunday, reveals that Indonesia has the worst education system among 12 researched countries in Asia. Indonesia comes last, after Vietnam.

Besides improving teachers' welfare, Commission VI chairman Anwar Arifin stressed that the government should prioritize its effort to ensure the availability of sufficient books for students instead of building schools.

"Teachers' welfare and ensuring the availability of books for students have to be conducted simultaneously. The government should not sacrifice them, just for the sake of building new school buildings," he told The Jakarta Post.

Words of praise also came from education expert Seto Mulyadi, who underlined the importance of listening to what was said by "stake holders" in national education, which includes teachers, students' parents and the students themselves.

"Let them give input to the government over what they really need regarding education. The government should listen to them before making any decision on the allocation of the budget," Seto told the Post.

He said that input could be gathered through the newly established education commission led by former education minister Fuad Hassan.

He said the commission was formed by people who cared about national education and always strived to improve the system. (09/dja)