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.