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.