Private schools exempted from exam fee
JAKARTA (JP): The City Administration finally stated on Thursday that all elementary school students in the capital will not be required to pay fees for this year's state final exams.
Muhayat, spokesman for the city administration, said the administration will provide Rp 3 billion to cover all expenses related to the state exam costs for both public and private elementary school students.
"We have finally decided to exempt the private elementary school students from the obligation to pay the exam fees because the city budget could provide funds to cover the estimated Rp 2.83 billion needed," he told The Jakarta Post.
The city administration had initially provided only Rp 1.3 billion from the city budget to free only the public elementary school students from the state exam fees, but the fate of those from the private schools was to be decided after the central government formally issued a decree.
"A gubernatorial decree will be issued soon to implement this policy," said Muhayat.
The City Education Agency has recorded that there are a total of 141,742 students in elementary schools due to sit the state final exams scheduled to be held from June 11 until June 13. They comprise 97,654 public school students and 44,088 private school students.
Jakarta has 2,423 public elementary schools and 2,248 private elementary schools.
The elementary schools also include the state-run Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Islamic elementary schools, while the private ones include private Islamic schools.
The expenses related to the exam for an elementary school student is set at Rp 18,200 (US$1.91), the same as last year's, while the cost for each Madrasah Ibtidaiyah student is set at Rp 29,000 (US$3.05).
"The expense of exam taken by Madrasah Ibtidaiyah students should be higher as they have more subjects," Muhayat said.
Separately, Masrul Nim, head of the City Education Agency warned all elementary schools in the capital not to ask for state exam fees from the students. He also urged school principals to return any money that may have already been collected.
People who found any violations committed by schools in relation to the regulation could report it to the City Education Agency on Jl. Bekasi Timur in Jatinegara, East Jakarta, or dial 8194752, he added. (04)