Kediri students boycott classes

Kediri students boycott classes

KEDIRI, East Java: At least 1,200 students of MAN 3 Islamic high school in Kediri boycotted classes on Tuesday to express their dissatisfaction with the management of the school's finances by principal Ismudji.

Head of the student association, M. Ali Zuhadi, questioned the whereabouts of Rp 875 million (US$94,086) in financial assistance from the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

"The amount excludes donations from the students' parents which might reach another Rp 200 million," he said.

Each student has to pay various fees, including a "donation" of between Rp 350,000 and Rp 500,000, a school sanitation fee of Rp 57,000 and a tuition fee of Rp 40,000 per month.

Each new male student has to pay Rp 944,000, while female students pay Rp 997,000.

The school principal, Ismudji, said he would hold a dialog with the students on Saturday. He also asserted that the financial assistance from the ministry was not given in the form of cash.

"The assistance was in the form of new classrooms and a laboratory. The students got it wrong," he said. -- Antara