Principals acknoledge shift in scholarship funds

Principals acknoledge shift in scholarship funds

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Several principals of city-run junior high schools admitted on
Monday that they had used scholarship funds for other school
purposes.

Following the investigation into the principal of SMP 232 in
Pulo Gadung, East Jakarta, who used scholarship funds to furbish
his office, the principals found it necessary to explain that the
law entitled them to redirect the funds.

Jakarta Principals Forum (MKS) chairman Waidjo Marbodo said
that the redirection of scholarship funds was allowed under City
Basic Education Agency Decree No. 288/2004 on the use of block
grants from the city administration.

The scholarship funds, the amounts of which are based on the
number of students at each school, come in block grants. Each
student is entitled to Rp 27,500 per month.

"We did our job based on the technical guidance," Waidjo told
The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the visit of 200 junior high
principals to the City Council on Monday. He, however, refused to
elaborate.

The principals' argument contradict the decision made by the
agency and the Council's Commission E for education, health and
people's welfare at a recent hearing that scholarship funds
should be used only to help poor students.

Commission E chairman Dani Anwar and agency head Sylviana
Murni stressed that there was no article in the decree that
authorized principals to redirect funds in block grants.

It was the councillors who found that SMP 232 had used some of
Rp 131 million scholarship funds to buy a television, an air
conditioner and furniture for the principal's office, as well as
a photocopy machine.

The school last year proposed scholarships for its 798
students, but extended them to only 82 students.

The police questioned SMP 232 principal Tri Jumena on Monday
in relation to the case. He refused to comment after, saying he
had made a statement to the police.