Private companies help renovate schools
Multa Fidrus, Tangerang
A campaign launched by the Tangerang municipal administration to involve businesspeople in its plan to renovate damaged school buildings has generated a good response as some 20 companies have committed to parts of the project, which will start in October.
"Although we have allocated 42 percent of the total Rp 590 billion (US$66.2 million) budget this year to education, we still need more for school renovation," Mayor Wahidin Halim told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
"We can't postpone the project till next year, because we fear the damaged buildings could collapse on teachers and students at any time."
Wahidin said 180 school buildings needed to be renovated in the Rp 180 billion project.
The administration will invite another 200 companies in the municipality to a meeting next month to introduce the school renovation plan.
Assistant to the city secretary for development affairs Istiarso Suryo said that Tangerang City Council had approved the administration's proposal for the project, claiming that the private companies would also enjoy financial benefit.
"The investors will receive interest on the money they have invested in the project. The administration will repay one-third of the total investment each year, plus interest," he told the Post on Tuesday.
He calculated that should the first phase of the renovation start next month and be completed in January 2005, "investors would receive the first repayment of the loan in February".
Istiarso claimed that the administration had formed a team whose tasks were to plan and supervise the school renovation projects.
Also on the same day, non-governmental organization Tangerang Regency Educational Council (DPKT) urged the 45 new councillors, sworn in on Saturday, to increase further the budget for education.
"700 school buildings in all 26 districts need immediate renovation," DPKT chairman Encep Suhayat said.
"The councillors should also uphold newly endorsed Bylaw No. 17/2004 on the implementation of educational programs in the regency, so everyone will have access to education," he added.