No 'school work' due to budget

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta

The director of the Jakarta Audit Agency (Bawasda), Firman Hutajulu, revealed that construction work on 12 schools across the city had to be halted due to budgetary constraints as a result of the misplaced priorities set by the Jakarta Elementary Education Agency.

"It's the agency's fault that the construction work can't be completed on scheduled," he said at City Hall over the weekend.

According to Firman, the education agency had started the construction work on the schools in 2002.

"But it only allocated enough funds for the commencement of construction work on four schools only. It also allocated funds for the renovation of other schools besides the 12," he said.

Firman, however, refused to divulge the sanctions that would be imposed on the agency's head for the mistake.

Apparently angered by the report, Governor Sutiyoso criticized education agency officials.

"My subordinates should not made such mistakes ... The education agency has never reported any problems concerning the construction of schools. I only got this information from the media," he said.

Sutiyoso promised to immediately continue the work on the new schools. "If necessary, we will use the city's contingency fund to continue these projects."

Jakarta currently has more than Rp 800 billion (US$92.5 million) in its contingency fund.

"We can use Rp 300 billion out of this for the schools ... that's what the emergency fund is for," the governor said.

The education agency's deputy head Maman Achdiat denied the audit agency report.

"We have the money. We are in the process of appointing (the developer) for the project ... Hopefully, the construction will be completed this year," he said.