Residents complain about astronomical school fees

Residents complain about astronomical school fees

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"Did the fierce debate and demonstration last week on the
educational bill mention anything about how expensive schooling
is in Jakarta?" Syarief, 43, a parking attendant, asked The
Jakarta Post on Friday.

Syarief, a father of three, said that due to the high cost of
education, his eldest, an 18-year-old girl, had to drop out of
elementary school 10 years ago. She now works in a factory.

He said, however, that he is trying hard to make sure his two
sons -- 15 and seven years old -- stay in school at all costs.

His oldest son attends state junior high SLTPN 61, while the
youngest starts at a state elementary school in July.

Enrollment at the state junior high school cost Syarief Rp
400,000 (approximately US$48.66) and Rp 150,000 for uniforms.
Meanwhile, every month he has to pay Rp 35,000 and an
extracurricular fee of Rp 18,500.

"Besides all of the school fees, I still have to prepare a
budget to buy school books and supplies, and for my children's
allowances," he said.

As for his youngest son, he said that, relatively, he had no
problem in enrolling him at a state elementary school because
there was no enrollment fee and no monthly fee. However, he still
has to prepare extra money to buy uniforms, books and supplies.

There have been reports of high enrollment fees imposed on
potential students at both state and private schools across the
city.

The City Secondary Education Agency claimed that due to the
limited budget from the city administration, the schools are
allowed to impose fees, for their development, on students who
have been admitted.

The City Council blasted the policy as being too burdensome on
new students, especially those from the lower income bracket, and
vowed that it would soon introduce a policy that sets a ceiling
on the permissible fees.

Fanny, 27, has a similar problem to that of Syarief although
on a different scale. Her six-year-old son, Aji, has been
enrolled at state elementary school SDN 01 or Labschool.

The school charged her Rp 6.5 million for enrollment, which
can be paid over seven months, plus a monthly school fee of Rp
100,000.

She originally intended to enroll her son at SD Al-Azhar, but
would have been required to pay an enrollment fee of Rp 10
million within three days and Rp 254,000 in monthly school fees.
Out of financial considerations and her son's potential, she
chose Labschool.

"The cost of education is outrageously expensive, but I have
no choice. I want my son to have the best education he can get,"
she said.

She said that most parents, including herself, had no choice
but to accept the fees charged by schools without bargaining,
because there were many parents willing to pay even more to
enroll their children at Labschool.

"I want Aji to have a strong base and high discipline in self-
learning," she said.

Unfortunately, only a few schools can instill such traits and
give proper intellectual, moral and social instruction to
children, all of which are obscenely expensive.

"Are you sure the debate on the education bill did not mention
the cost of a good education at all?" Syarief asked.