High costs

High costs of education

From Bali Post

Most parents are awaiting the coming of the new school year 2003/2004 with apprehension. Why? Because, on the one hand, their target is to have their children to be admitted to the favored schools. On the other hand, their greatest concern is the high cost they have to pay for it.

Let us use then our common sense in finding the best solution to this problem, and restrain ourselves from blaming each other.

Paragraph 1, Article 31, Chapter XIII of our 1945 Constitution stipulates that each citizen has the right to education. Paragraph 2 says that each citizen is obliged to follow basic education and the government is obliged to bear the expense of such education. These two paragraphs clearly indicate that each citizen has the right to enjoy both elementary and secondary education, and the government has to bear the cost, regardless of the amount of funds needed to accomplish that program.

However, on the other side of the coin, people should be aware of the difficult situation the government is in, and thus should be ready to actively participate in addressing the problem of their children's education. The public and the government should make a concerted effort to find the best solution to the problem of the education of the young generation.

Unpopular decisions in the policy making process must be strictly avoided. In other words, the people's genuine and conscientious participation must be rightly accommodated and the policy honestly implemented. Only then can we look forward to a decent, well-behaved and highly-competitive society.

IDN SARJANA Tabanan, Bali