Govt says university tuition Rp 18m

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