Imam pledges free primary and high schools

Imam pledges free primary and high schools

Ainur R. Sophiaan, The Jakarta Post, Surabaya

Gubernatorial aspirant Imam Utomo pledged on Monday free
elementary and junior high schools for poor families in East
Java, provided he was elected for the 2003 to 2008 period.

Speaking at a presentation of his vision and mission as
governor for the next five years, Imam told 98 East Java
legislature members that such a policy would be taken to ensure
the success of the nine-year compulsory education program.

Compulsory education was launched in 1998 in a bid to improve
the quality of the country's human resources. The program,
however, was severely affected by the economic crisis that has
plagued the country since 1997.

"We will improve our education in close cooperation with
regency, municipal and provincial government, and the central
government," said Imam, the current governor of East Java.

Imam, elected governor of East Java in 1998, said he needed
some Rp 1.2 trillion to scrap school fees.

"The provincial government will shoulder Rp 400 billion, the
central government another Rp 400 billion and the remaining Rp
400 billion will come from regency and municipal administrations
in the province," he said.

There was no immediate data on the number of students from
poor families in the province.

Imam, together with his running mate, Soenarjo, is nominated
by President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian Democratic
Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the so-named Joint
Faction. DPI Perjuangan is the second-largest faction in East
Java after the National Awakening Party (PKB).

The gubernatorial election is slated to take place on July 19.

Imam, however, stressed that he would still seek approval from
local legislature members on his plan to release elementary and
high schools from charging school fees.

"If there were not a harmonious relationship between the
executive and legislative branches, such a program would not
work," he said.

Imam also complained that the budget allocated by the central
government for the province was insufficient to develop the
province.

"Funds from the central government have been inadequate for
the provincial administration of East Java," he said.

Imam said East Java contributed Rp 14 trillion from cigarette
levies to the central government but received back only Rp 4
billion.

He promised to work with local legislature members to
negotiate with the central government so that the province could
get at least 50 percent of revenues the province sent to the
central government.

Meanwhile, Soenarjo, Imam's running mate as deputy governor,
promised to improve social services in the provinces. He also
pledged to cooperate fully with Imam, should he get elected as
vice governor.

Imam also mentioned five priority projects if he got reelected
as governor -- construction of an agribusiness market, the
Surabaya-Madura bridge, the southern transportation route,
eastern ring road and central ring road, and construction of the
Mojokerto-Surabaya road.

Governor aspirant Abdul Kahfi and deputy governor candidate
Ridwan Hasyim, nominated by the National Awakening Party (PKB)
and Golkar, were due to present their vision and mission on
Tuesday.