Parents allege schools mired in corruption
Bambang Nurbianto and Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Two disputes between parents and school administrators over alleged misuses of school fees and development funds came to the fore on Wednesday following tough action by the city administration.
Head of the city's Intermediate and Higher Education Agency, Sukesti, told The Jakarta Post that his agency had frozen Rp 1.2 billion (US$141,176.47) in school development funds collected by the state-run SMU 21 high school in East Jakarta due to the unauthorized manner in which the funds were collected.
"I've already told the school principal and the members of the interim school committee not to use the money until they get the approval of the definitive school committee, which is expected to be set up early in October," Sukesti said.
Separately, the chairman of the school committee at the state- run SLTPN 250 junior high school in South Jakarta, Soebandrio, revealed the alleged misappropriation of Rp 1.21 billion derived from the school development fund and monthly fees.
"The school officials refused to show me all the receipts for the expenditure of the money. Instead, the principal forced me to sign the financial report that she had drawn up. The principal had attempted to eject me from the school committee after I tried to seek explanations on the use of the money," he told a media conference at the offices of Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW).
Daswanto, one of the parents, most of whom come from the low- to-middle income brackets, had complained that the school had elicited many contributions from the parents but failed to do anything to improve the school's facilities.
ICW activist Ade Irawan said that he would bring the case to the attention of the City Council's education commission, as well as the police for further investigation, because "only 15 percent of the funds have been allocated for educational activities".
Sukesti and the relevant officials from the city administration held a meeting with the commission to discuss the complaints submitted by 10 parents whose children attend SMU 21.
The parents objected to the levying of development fund contributions by the interim school committee. These contributions amounted this year to Rp 5 million per student -- much more than last year's Rp 2 million.
Education commission chairman E Nazamuddin supported the education agency's policy. He said that the levies imposed on parents were in violation of Directive No. 65/2003 issued by the Intermediate and Higher Education Agency, which stipulates that the amount of the contributions this year should not exceed last year's figure.
Nazamuddin told administration officials to provide protection to parents and students who experienced difficulties after filing their complaints.
City audit agency secretary Abdul Afandi said that his officials had been investigating the complaints by questioning the members of the school committees and principals regarding the allegations that Directive No. 65/2003 had been violated.