Places available for new students

Places available for new students

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

With student admission registrations for high schools starting in
10 days, the Jakarta administration has assured parents that
there will be a place for every student as the number of places
available is much higher than for junior high school graduates.

Head of the Jakarta Middle and Higher Education Agency,
Margani Mustar, revealed on Wednesday that the vacant places
available at in high schools across the capital this year was
170,000 seats, while the number of students wanting to enroll
stood at 130,000.

"Parents should not panic ... Their children can enroll at
their favorite state high schools," he told reporters at City
Hall.

He explained that there were 45,000 places for first-years at
116 state high schools and 58 vocational high schools, plus
another 125,000 places in 896 private high schools and vocational
senior high schools.

Registrations will take place on July 8, 9 and 11 at all state
high schools across the capital, said Margani, with private
schools administering their own admission registration
timetables.

Many parents and students still prefer state schools to
private schools, which tends to tighten the competition. Only
students who have achieved a passing score set by state schools
can enroll.

State schools promise relatively cheaper fees and better
quality education than most private schools, which receive no
government funds and rely solely on fees imposed on students.

Applicants can enroll at their favorite state high schools by
ranking the schools in accordance to their preferences on a scale
of one to five.

The selection process is then made automatically by computer
based on the student's final examinations scores.

Students from outside Jakarta may also enroll at state
schools.

"We have a quota of 5 percent at each school for students from
areas outside Jakarta," Margani added.

Students can monitor the progress of the admission and
selection processes online via the agency's official website
www.dikmentidki.co.id.

Observers have said that the selection process now was
effective in reduce rampant corruption practices at schools
during registration periods.

In the past, school managements had the authority to select
their own students with some school staff selling places to
parents who were willing to pay higher fees.