Principal defends umroh trip

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post/Tangerang

The principal of state SMA I high school in Pamulang, Tangerang, Dedi Rafidi, defended on Friday his decision to finance the haj pilgrimages of several school teachers and staff, saying it was an incentive aimed at boosting their performance.

Dedi also told visiting councillors from Tangerang regency that his decision had also received the backing of the school committee, whose members consist of parents of students attending the school.

"The use of school funds for the minor haj pilgrimage (umroh) of teachers and security guards was discussed with the school committee and students' parents," Dedi told a meeting attended by Tangerang councillors, school committee members and students' parents.

The school financed the umroh of six teachers in the past two years and several security guards in 2005, using school funds.

Umroh costs around Rp 15 million (US$1,500) per person.

Dedi said that umroh trips were offered to teachers and school staff as a sign of appreciation for their achievements and good performance.

"We apply such a policy in order to encourage teachers to achieve a lot and perform well, which will in turn result in high achievements for students and a good reputation for the school," he reasoned.

Soon after the meeting, Eni Suhaeni, the commission deputy speaker who led the meeting, declared that there had been no policy violation in the decision.

"Utilizing school funds to finance the teachers' umroh was done with the consent of the school committee and parents of students," the councillor of the United Development Party (PPP) faction said.

However, Golkar councillor M. Fachrurrozi maintained that Dedi had violated regulations by financing the minor haj pilgrimage of teachers and security guards with school funds.

"Going on the umroh is a personal matter. It is completely wrong to use school funds for this purpose. I don't think parents should pay for the personal travel of teachers," he said.

He said it would have been better if the money had been used to purchase educational equipment to support students' learning activities.