School costs a mounting burden

School costs a mounting burden

From Merdeka

The coming of a new academic year is always a headache for
parents who struggle to keep up with the costs of enrolling their
children in either government or private schools. Enrollment is
only the beginning. Costs mount up when a child moves to a grade
higher, enrolls in specific programs, participates in excursions,
re-registers, or takes part in a farewell party.

Just imagine if you have more than one child in school. Your
children's participation in all the school's programs would
require hundreds of thousands of rupiah. How can low-income
parents cope with such a financial burden?

I recall the past system in which parents were not especially
burdened by school fees. The pupils received free textbooks, and
in some schools the pupils were provided with free milk. Now
parents are subjected to a multitude of financial burdens in
educating their children.

A former Minister of Education and Culture once said that
"education is expensive." Does this mean that it is not for the
poor?

NASARUDIN BUDIMAN

Jakarta