'I don't want my children to end up like me'

'I don't want my children to end up like me'

As more parents realize the importance of a good education, they
are sending their children to the best schools in town or
financing overseas educations for their sons and daughters.
However, the costs involved mean that some parents can only dream
about providing their children with the best education possible.
The Jakarta Post talked to residents about the cost of education.

Waginem, 40, is a door-to-door vegetable seller in Pondok
Bambu, East Jakarta. She lives in a rental house in the area with
her husband:

I left my two children at my mother's house in Kulon Progo
(Yogyakarta). My husband and I think that this is best for all of
us, although sometimes I miss them so much I can't stand it.

By staying in the village, my children can go to school
because I don't have to spend millions of rupiah for their
admission fees, tuition fees and other necessities for their
studies. If they were living here with us, I can't even imagine
how much money I would have to pay to send them to school.

Sometimes, my children ask me when they can move to Jakarta
with us. I always tell them that it's better for them to stay in
the village and go to school than to move to Jakarta, where we
couldn't afford the school fees.

I don't want my children to end up like me, a vegetable
seller, or like their father, an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver. I
want them to be somebody, have a job where they make enough money
to start their own families.

Ida, 36, is a minister. She lives in Sukamantri, Tangerang,
with her two children. Her husband died three years ago:

My husband and I decided back then to register our children at
a Catholic school because we believed that they offered a better
education than state schools.

However, there is always a price to pay. The tuition fee was
very high and we could not afford it. We had to meet with the
principal to ask for a reduction in our children's tuition. We
were lucky that the principal agreed to help us.

Since my husband died, it has been harder for me to pay the
education fees. This year, my oldest son is going to junior high
school. I don't believe that we will be able to get a reduction,
so we will have to pay Rp 250,000 (US$27) in monthly tuition.
Still, I'm lucky that my son was the top scorer on the admission
test, so we got free admission.

I don't understand why education is becoming more expensive
and harder these days ... schools are very business-oriented
nowadays. I just hope that I will be able to send my children at
least to high school. I may not be able to send them to
university.

-- The Jakarta Post