No money for orphans

TANGERANG: Members of the Tangerang legislative council questioned the 2004 budget draft during a session on Tuesday, asking why it failed to include promised money to send orphans and poor children to school.

Councillor Samsudin pointed out that the budget draft only allocate funds for "school development".

Tangerang Regent Ismet Iskandar earlier promised that the administration would earmark at least Rp 12.7 billion (US$1.49 million) to pay for the schooling of orphans and poor students starting in January next year.

The head of the local education agency, Mas Iman Kusnandar, said the funds for this purpose would be taken from the Administration Development Planning Body's budget.

The proposed sums for elementary and Islamic boarding school students is Rp 20,000 per year, Rp 60,000 for junior high school students and Rp 75,000 for high school students. -- JP