'Quality education comes at a price'

'Quality education comes at a price'

Many people have criticized the government for neglecting
education and it has yet to meet its lofty target of allocating
20 percent of the national budget to education. The government
has said 2009 would be the earliest year it could increase the
allocation to the 22.5 percent maximum from the current 3.49
percent. The Jakarta Post asked some Jakartans how they dealt
with providing proper education for their children.

Lidia Hasyim, 34, is a housewife who lives with her family in
Cinere in Depok. Her sons are 11 and 6 and both go to a private
school in Parung, Bogor:

Schools are expensive. My children go to a school where we
have to pay six years in advance. The one-time payment covers
their text books, notebooks, stationery, field trips, extra-
curricular activities -- everything.

Sure it's more expensive up front, but then I don't have to
worry about their education for six years. And when I calculate
the figure, it's the same as in other schools.

The text books are not given to the students. I think this is
a better system. What's the use of buying books when we must buy
new ones with each curriculum? With each new minister?

The school recently offered me a 30 percent discount on the
current fees if I paid my children's fees until they finish high
school. Maybe the school needs fresh cash for its development. I
think this is good, sort of like buying insurance. At least I
won't be surprised with higher prices later on.

Frieda Mangunsong, 50, is a lecturer in the school of
psychology at the University of Indonesia. She lives with her
family in South Petukangan, South Jakarta:

My second son is entering university this year and my youngest
daughter is going to junior high school. Every time any of my
children move to another level, we always try to admit them to
two schools, a private school and a state one.

What's nice about private schools is the admission process is
finished early, before the holidays. When my children are
accepted in a private school, we feel safe, and can enjoy the
holiday.

If they then want to try to get into a state school, they are
allowed to, as long as it's a top one. We have to be more
selective with state schools.

State schools may look cheaper at first, but then inside we
find practices such as buying grades and that kind of thing.

Quality runs parallel with cost. We cannot expect good quality
to come cheaply. When teachers' welfare is low, such as now,
there will be a psycho-social effect. To improve state schools,
we have to increase teachers' salaries.

--The Jakarta Post