PDI proposes 25% hike in education budget

PDI proposes 25% hike in education budget

JAKARTA (JP): The government-recognized faction of the
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) said yesterday the state budget
for education should rise 25 percent.

In a discussion broadcasted by state television station TVRI,
PDI deputy chairman Subagyo Umar said the small budget now
earmarked for education had stopped ordinary children going to
school.

"Quality education is such a luxury that those people (cannot
afford to) free themselves from the shackles of poverty," Subagyo
said.

He cited the 1990 United Nations Education, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (Unesco) annual report which revealed that
Indonesia only spent 1 percent of gross domestic product on
education.

The government has allocated Rp 4.67 trillion (US$1.9 billion)
for educational development, 12 percent of the total development
budget, for the 1997/1998 fiscal year.

Subagyo criticized the government for failing to provide
schools with sufficient libraries, classrooms, laboratories and
sports facilities. He said facilities were particularly lacking
in schools outside Java.

"Book shortages have become our greatest concern," Subagyo
said, quoting statistics which said Indonesia produced less book
titles a year than any country in the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations.

Indonesia only published 3,000 titles a year on average
compared to Malaysia's 5,000, Thailand's 7,000, the Philippines'
8,000 and Singapore's 15,000.

"Books have cost Indonesians dearly. That's why the government
should cut the paper price for school books through subsidies,
and exempt foreign books from import taxes," Subagyo said.

He warned of the soaring number of educated unemployed in a
national education system that emphasized diplomas and
certificates over skills.

Without immediate improvements in the education system and pay
rises for teachers, Indonesia would not have sufficient human
resources to meet the 21st century's challenges, Subagyo said.

"Our current education system does not encourage the
development of quality, self-reliant and laborious human
resources.

"This will in turn leave us heavily dependent on overseas
technology in the cultivation of our natural resources," Subagyo
said.

Feudalism

At a PDI rally in Langsa, Aceh, party chairman Soerjadi called
for a nationwide movement to abolish the bureaucracy's
"feudalistic practices".

"Feudalism has generated national leaders who rose to the top
without enough testing, (they relied on) their parents' positions
and big names as well as overwhelmingly corrupt and shameless
officials," Soerjadi said.

He warned that Indonesians would face a catastrophe if they
did not fix the bureaucracy.

Becak (pedicab) drivers dominated the crowd at the PDI rally
in the country's westernmost province. They paraded in the
streets of Langsa on their way to the rally.

Soerjadi told his audience that the Busang gold mine hoax was
among the latest evidence which proved the absence of shame among
top officials.

"Social control is so lax that it encourages the officials to
readily abuse their power for their interests. In other
countries, an official at fault would resign or even commit
suicide," Soerjadi said.

At a PDI rally in Pekanbaru, Riau, party deputy chairman
Panangian Siregar spoke to thousands of supporters.

In Metro, Lampung, PDI vice secretary Ratih Ratna Purnami
fired up thousands of supporters at a rally in Yosodadi field,
while the party's deputy chairman Budi Hardjono delivered his
speech before hundreds of supporters at an indoor rally in West
Lampung. (amd)