Rp 1.3b allotted to cover school examination fees

Rp 1.3b allotted to cover school examination fees

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has allocated Rp 1.3
billion (US$132,000) to help cover costs for this year's state
exams in public elementary schools in the capital.

It is still unclear whether private elementary school students
here would also be exempted from the state exam costs.

The decision was taken after the central government suggested
that elementary and junior highschool students be exempted from
examination costs.

Acting Governor Djailani on Wednesday confirmed that the money
would be taken from the 2001 City Budget.

"But the administration will only cover the exam fees for the
public elementary schools, while junior high schools are under
the central government's authority," Djailani told reporters
after inaugurating a new book store owned by Pos Kota group in
East Jakarta.

The Rp 1.3 billion is to help cover the estimated Rp 2.83
billion needed. The remaining funds are subsidized by central
government.

He warned all public elementary schools in the capital against
trying to extort such fees from students and urged school
principals to return any money that may have been already
collected.

Separately, City Secretary for administrative affairs Makmun
Amin said the administration will ask for additional funds from
the central government to free junior and senior high school
students from paying state exam fees.

"The city needs some Rp 2.7 billion in total to cover all
expenses related to the state tests for junior and senior high
school students," said Makmun.

The expenses include printing and other costs related to
marking examination papers.

According to official data there are a total of 141,511
students in public elementary schools due to sit the state exams
scheduled to be held from June 11 until June 13, while some
141,160 students in public junior high schools will take their
final exam in May.

There are 50,383 high school students in public schools due to
take the tests also in May.

No data was immediately available on the number of students in
private schools due to take the exam.

The fee for each elementary student taking the exam is set at
Rp 20,000 (US$2.10). Last year it was set at Rp 18,200.

So far the decision concerning students in private elementary
schools is that they would still be required to pay the state
final exam fees.

City administration spokesman Muhayat told The Jakarta Post
however that the administration would be ready to bear the costs
in supporting these students if instructed by the central
government.

"They will be exempted from the obligation to pay the state
exam fees after the central government formally issues a decree,"
Muhayat remarked.

Separately, the head of the City Education Agency Masrul Nim
said earlier that about 2,000 needy students from 15 elementary
schools across the capital will receive scholarships amounting to
Rp 860,000 each for the 2001/2002 school term.

Masrul said the policy was made in compliance with the
government's program of compulsory education to cover all
expenses for the needy.

Masrul said the funds include Rp 12,500 for monthly school
tuition, a stipend for books and stationery, school uniform, a
scouts uniform, a sports uniform, and a medical check up.

The selected students are between 7 to 15 years old. (04/07)