Govt's plan to classify schools attacked
Govt's plan to classify schools attacked
JAKARTA (JP): The government's plan to appoint six of
Jakarta's state-owned senior high schools as top-grade schools
may give an impression of exclusivity rather than help poor but
able students to attend these schools, city councilors charged
yesterday.
"I don't think it is necessary to announce them as top
schools. It certainly will lead to exclusivity and stir up
jealousy," said Ronggo Sutrisno Tahir, a member of the City
Council's commission on education.
Ronggo spoke during the council's hearing with a team from the
Jakarta Chapter of the Association of Teachers of the Republic of
Indonesia (PGRI).
Last week, Tating Karnadinata, the head of the Jakarta Office
of the Ministry of Education and Culture, told the commission
that his office had drawn up a list of schools to be appointed as
the city's best.
The state-run Senior High School Number Eight (SMA 8) in South
Jakarta was to be the top-grade senior high school for the entire
Jakarta area.
Under the school, so the plan goes, five state-run senior high
school will be granted titles as "top-grade senior high schools
on the mayoralty level.
The schools were SMA 68 for Central Jakarta, SMA 13 for North
Jakarta, SMA 78 for West Jakarta, SMA 70 for South Jakarta, and
SMA 81 for East Jakarta.
People already know that they were top schools because their
students were well known for their high marks on state-run final
examinations and because most of the graduates were accepted to
state universities, Yunan Abdullah, an administrator for the city
PGRI argued.
"Because of that, it is understandable if the government plans
to announce them as top schools," Yunan said.
Attack
The councilors, however, fiercely attacked the argument.
"If people already know, why does the government need to
appoint them as top grade schools? Such an appointment will only
divide schools into unnecessary categories," Soegijo, the
chairman of the commission, said.
Soegijo also said the plan smacked of unequal treatment by the
government.
"A good government does not favor one school more than others.
The government must treat all schools equally," Soegijo insisted.
Soegijo and some other councilors also attacked the claims
that the six schools in question are in fact on the top level
among high schools here.
"What about the privately-run senior high schools which have
been widely recognized as top schools? Such an appointment will
only imply the government ignores their existence," councilor
Subagyo Partodiharjo said.
Sulaiman Ismaya, the general secretary of the city PGRI, said
at the end of the hearing the while he was happy for the
suggestions, "if the government is determined to carry out the
plan, we can't do nothing but support it." (06)