Open government schools give education to the poor
JAKARTA (JP): The prolonged monetary crisis has resulted in an alarming number of school dropouts. Records from the Ministry of National Education show that some six million children have not continued their education beyond elementary school.
This number does not include thousands of school-aged children who live in refugee camps as a result of natural disaster or social unrest.
As a result, the compulsory education program, that was only extended from six to nine years in 1994, is completely ineffectual.
In an effort to salvage Indonesia's youth amid these inescapable realities, the government recently "relaunched" the Open Junior High School (SLTP Terbuka) program for elementary school graduates aged 11 to 18.
The program provides free education for children of poor families, refugees and school-aged children outside the regular education system due to geographical problems so they can complete the nine year compulsory education program consisting of six years of elementary school and three years of junior high school.
It uses the same curriculum and assessment criteria as regular schools, but utilizes the methodology of distance and independent learning.
The learning activities can be conducted anywhere, from a village chief's office to a rice field. They are supervised by tutors hired by the ministry.
Classes last only four hours a day so students can still help their parents earn money.
The primary learning materials are especially designed self- instructional modules subordinate to a 'mother' school or appointed regular junior high school.
"This system encourage students to be independent," said the Director General of Elementary and Secondary Education Indra Djati Sidi recently.
Once a week, the students attend the mother school to discuss the materials and to use the school's laboratory, library and other facilities.
Student academic achievements are evaluated by teachers from the mother school with individual reports prepared at the end of each semester.
Those who pass the final examination at the end of the ninth semester are awarded junior high school (SLTP) diplomas equivalent to those who attend regular classes.
Since it was introduced in 1979 the program is now practiced in all parts of the country.
There are an estimated 400,000 students enrolled in 3,483 open schools.
The ministry feels that more effort should be made to promote the program, especially under the current socioeconomic climate.
"We have to give the unfortunate children the same opportunity to get an education. Therefore, we call on more students to enroll into the school," Minister Yahya Muhaimin said.
However, according to Indra, there are worries regarding finance and management when regional autonomy is imposed next year.
"We're still discussing with the Ministry of Finance whether the program will be financed and managed by the central government or regional governments," Indra said.
Motivated
In Jakarta, there are 33 open schools, of which three are financed by the City Administration.
According to an organizer of an open school in Koja, North Jakarta, Morgan Napitupulu, the students are very motivated and independent.
"We have some 234 students and they're not really behind their peers in regular school," he said, adding that there are four regular junior high schools that rank below his school.
"Maybe because the children are really eager to learn, they don't take it for granted," he said.
The drop out rate remains high though, about 30 percent before the end of three-years. Some of students left to get married, others moved away.
"Many poor families are not permanent residents. That's why sometimes they just disappear," Morgan said.
But many stay until graduation, like Ami, 15, a second grader at SLTP 30 in South Jakarta.
She works at her neighbor's house peeling shrimp and earning some Rp 7,000 to Rp 15,000 ($1.70) a week, depending on how many shrimps she peels.
As much as she wanted to continue her education after graduating from elementary school three years ago, her father, a fisherman, could not afford it.
"But then I heard about the open school from my friends and enrolled there," she said, adding that she enjoys school very much, especially Bahasa Indonesia.
Morgan said that it is a pity that open senior high schools have yet to be established and graduates are unable to continue their education.
"They're highly qualified, you know, but right now only 35 percent of the graduates can continue to senior high school," Morgan said.
According to Indra, though, there are plans to establish an open senior high school. Not surprisingly, it is unlikely to be realized anytime soon due to budget constraints. (hdn)