Govt says university tuition Rp 18m

SURABAYA: The tuition fee for state university students should be set at Rp 18 million (US$2,143) per year per student, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

Director General of Higher Education Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro said the amount of money would be sufficient to pay laboratory fees, lecturers' salaries and maintenance of other facilities.

"I am talking about the ideal amount, which is unlikely for the time being. But the government cannot afford to subsidize all students," Satryo said after attending the inauguration as professors of couple Djanali Supeno and Handayani Tjandrasa at the Surabaya Institute of Technology (ITS).

He said the government suggested that students from well-off families pay the full tuition fees, while the subsidy be given to those from lower-income families.

"My directorate general received only Rp 5 trillion of Rp 14 trillion demanded. Therefore if some universities increase their tuition fees, it's because they've been forced to," he said.

Djanali, who is also the director of academic and student development at the Ministry of National Education, said most of the government subsidy for state universities went to training and education programs carried out by ministries and military institutions, including the Public Administration Institute (STPDN). -- Antara