High school principal sacked after strikes

High school principal sacked after strikes

JAKARTA (JP): The principal of a state-owned high school in
Central Jakarta has been sacked for administrative errors and
overstepping his authority, actions which triggered a student
strike in August.

Two teachers of SMU I, on Jl. Budi Utomo, will also be moved
elsewhere for their involvement in the students' protest.

Kusnan Ismukanto, the head of the city office of the Ministry
of Education and Culture, said yesterday that the investigation
team appointed to check into the management of SMU I found
unaccounted for expenditures of Rp 25 million (US$10,688), out of
a reportedly missing sum of Rp 64 million.

"However the principal has admitted his fault and has returned
all the money to us," Kusnan said yesterday. The administration
of funds at the school "has to be corrected", he said.

The principal, Soedarno, was also found to have "acted beyond
his authority" in the purchase of computers for the school.
Students had also protested having to pay fees for computer
classes which they said were made compulsory, instead of
optional, by Soedarno.

Soedarno has been replaced temporarily by an executive of the
supervision bureau of the city office of the education ministry.

Students at the school, which was formerly one of the most
popular in the city, went on a two-day strike in August following
written complaints from teachers about the principal's policies.

More than 30 teachers first reported a lack of transparency in
the use of funds allocated to the school's cooperative and the
Parents and Teachers Association in April.

Before the strike the Target tabloid also quoted anonymous
sources who said the investigating team was allegedly bribed Rp
30 million by Soedarno. The principal is suing the newspaper for
libel.

The investigation team, led by Satiyono of the ministry's
inspectorate office, also found that two teachers, Irwan Muin and
Endang Suhendar did not report the students' demonstration plans
although they were aware of them.

"Irwan even gave recommendations in a meeting at a bus stop in
front of the school," Kusnan said. As educators the teachers
should have discouraged such plans, he said.

Earlier this week the students staged another strike against
the plans to move the two teachers, who they said were their
favorite teachers.

In response to whether the investigation team had sidestepped
the issue of financial transparency by punishing the teachers,
Kusnan said the protests were "beyond the bounds of acceptable
student behavior." He cited their demands to remove not only the
principal but also his deputy for unclear reasons.

"I would be happy if students protested because teachers
arrived late or did not check their exams," he said.

Kusnan refused to comment on a number of other schools where
students have staged strikes or on the issue of financial
transparency.

"Problems should be settled without having to resort to
students' strikes; I cannot let this continue as too many hours
are being lost because of strikes," he said. (anr)