Govt told to keep cool over distance classes

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

House of Representatives legislators have suggested that the government respond wisely to several state universities which are now running long-distance classes for graduate management degrees.

House Commission VI for social affairs member Muhammadi said there was no reason to object to the long-distance classes provided the institutions which organized the classes managed to maintain high standards and avoid becoming trapped in money- making activities.

Muhammadi said the government lacked a strong basis to ban the programs if it turned a blind eye to the fact that the country was in need of more management experts in the face of the free trade era.

"The government should have offered quality universities more opportunities to expand their educational activities beyond provincial boundaries in order to fill the gap," Muhammadi said as quoted by Antara.

"The government is not supposed to intervene too far in educational affairs due to the implementation of regional autonomy."

Muhammadi was speaking at a hearing with outgoing Gadjah Mada University (UGM) rector Ichlasul Amal and his entourage on Thursday regarding the Ministry of National Education's recent ban of the classes.

The ministry has stopped its subsidies to the Yogyakarta-based state university for ignoring the government's call for an end to the program.

Other state higher education institutions, the Padjadjaran University in Bandung and the Bandung Institute of Technology, have agreed to shut down their offices in Jakarta and other towns outside Bandung.

The main reason for the ban is a fear of degradation of educational quality through long-distance learning services.

Director General of Higher Education Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro said that state universities which profited from the long-distance classes could encourage the improper pursuit of academic titles in the society, which is against the ideals of education.

UGM opened its classes in Jakarta on Jl. Gondangdia, Central Jakarta last year, with a student paying between Rp 35 million (US$3,500) and Rp 45 million per program.

Muhammadi questioned the government's double standards in dealing with the matter by allowing a Malaysian university to open a branch in Indonesia.

House Commission VI Taufikurrahman chairman Saleh shared Muhammadi's view, saying that democracy and regional autonomy should enable all parts of the nation, including state universities, to improve their creativity and self-reliance.

"I think the ministry is unfair (in punishing UGM) as it fails to differentiate long-distance classes run by unknown universities from those administered by quality universities," he said, adding that the commission would invite Minister of National Education Malik Fajar to discuss the issue.

He suggested, however, that the concerned state universities take the government's policy positively.

"The ban implies that those state universities should comply with the rules and nature of higher education," he said.