Parents storm school over sudden tuition fee hike
Parents storm school over sudden tuition fee hike
TANGERANG (JP): Over 150 students' parents stormed private
Ricci II Catholic school on Jl. Utama II near Bintaro here on
Saturday in protest of the school management's decision to raise
tuition fees by up to 50 percent without consulting them.
The parents, most of whom were housewives, started arriving at
the school compound, which houses elementary, junior and senior
high schools, at 8 a.m., demanding a meeting with representatives
of the school's foundation.
They held a noisy rally and unfurled posters which demanded,
among other things, that the price increase be canceled, reduced
prices for school uniforms and books, and the establishment of a
parents and teachers body.
"If the government can revised its state budget downward, why
must the school substantially raise its fees?" read one poster
and "Ricci II craves money," read another.
"How can the school raise its fees by up to 50 percent at a
time when the country's economy is practically grinding to a
halt, when many parents have lost their jobs?" asked Indratmoko,
one of the protesters.
At 10:30 a.m., the protesters were allowed to enter the school
hall under the escort of a police officer, who was there to
maintain security.
The protesters later held a free-speech forum, criticizing
many of the school management's policies which, according to
them, overburdened them. The free-speech forum stopped when the
school foundation's chairman, Dr. Hubertus, arrived at 1:10 p.m.
to discuss their complaints.
The parents became angry when, in response to their
emotionally charged questions at the beginning of the discussion,
Hubertus stated that he never dealt with questions voiced by
patients of a psychiatric hospital.
The parents hysterically claimed they were "insane" because of
the school's arbitrary policies.
The situation cooled down after one protester volunteered to
become moderator in the discussion, after which both sides agreed
to settle the dispute amicably.
The school management agreed to postpone the increase in
tuition and to allow the establishment of a parents and teachers
body to participate in any decision-making. (hhr)