Parents prepare bribes for school admission
Parents prepare bribes for school admission
JAKARTA (JP): There is a popular expression among parents when
the time comes to register their children for high school: buka
toko (open shop).
Meaning? Basically, bribery.
Starting Tuesday, as registration for state-owned high schools
opened, many parents struggled to find ways to get their children
accepted, even though their grades may not meet the school's
requirements.
The path varies from approaching a school principal, teacher,
or people from the city's Ministry of National Education.
The approach also involves money, of course, ranging from Rp
500,000 (US$45.50) to Rp 10 million.
Most of the time, parents do not have to approach anyone as
people will go to them, such as a teacher.
"Just go to any high school in South Jakarta. As you enter the
school, somebody will offer you help," Nurdin, a teacher at SMU
24 senior high school on Jl. Lapangan Tembak, Central Jakarta,
told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
He denied that such practices occurred at SMU 24.
"This high school is not one of the favorites among students,"
he said.
When the Post went to a few schools Nurdin mentioned, it
appeared that he was exaggerating. Until several parents
confirmed his claims.
"You wait until the last day of registration on Thursday. It's
buka toko time. There will be dozens of people offering help,"
said Gunardi, who was registering his son at SLTP 11 junior high
school.
Gunardi, however, does not have to bribe anyone as his son's
grades are way above the minimum requirement.
But Tuti (not her real name) had prepared some money so that
her daughter Carla would be accepted at a state high school.
"It's not because Carla's grades are too low, but it's a case
of miscalculation," Tuti said.
Carla's total grade is 39.11 for six subjects, or an average
of 6.5 (out of the highest grade of 10) for each subject.
She then registered at SMU 6 and SMU 82, as last year's
minimum grade at both schools was around 38, although it varies
from year to year.
Apparently, this year's minimum grade at SMU 6 is 40.89 while
at SMU 82 it is 40.10, which means Carla would not be accepted by
either.
"But there is a teacher in SMU 6 who said he could help my
daughter get into SMU 3, which requires a minimum grade of
38.50," Tuti said, pointing at the high school, also located in
South Jakarta.
Such help, however, does not come cheap.
"He wants up to Rp 10 million. It's crazy! The school's
tuition itself already costs about Rp 2 million," Tuti said.
Tuti then contacted an employee at the education office, who
is an acquaintance of a friend.
"He promised to help. When I asked about the cost, he said it
could be paid after Carla was accepted," Tuti said, adding that
it usually cost around Rp 500,000.
"We just have to write this letter, stating that the student's
grades are high, and stuff like that," she added.
Meanwhile, Tuti said, she has registered Carla at a private
Islamic school, SMU Muhammadiyah on Jl. Limau, South Jakarta.
"Hopefully, Carla can be accepted at SMU 3, because the
tuition at a private school is expensive, Rp 3.5 million," she
said.
Separately, SMU 6 principal Ida Hasida Herman denied that
students could buy their way into the school.
However, she did acknowledge that parents line up at her
office every day, asking her to accept their children in SMU 6.
"The answer is always no," she said. (hdn)