School exchange deal protested

JAKARTA (JP): Dozens of parents and teachers of state junior high school (SMP) 56 on Jl. Melawai, South Jakarta, protested on Monday an exchange deal involving their school and a private investor.

One of the protesting teachers, Edi Permana, said that the city office of the Ministry of National Education had signed an exchange agreement with private firm PT Tata Disantara, a subsidiary of Alatief Corporation, on the school building.

Edi said the land and building of SMP 56 junior high school would be exchanged with another school building located on Jl. Jeruk Purut, Pejaten, South Jakarta.

"But the students refused to be moved to the new building as it is far from their houses and difficult to reach by public transportation," he said.

He said the school had sent questionnaires to 1,200 students and teachers and only 17 of the respondents agreed to be moved to the new building.

The protesters suspected irregularities in the exchange deal, calling it unfair.

The 4,850 square-meter school building on Jl. Melawai would be exchanged for 7,000 square meters of land on Jl. Jeruk Purut. The land on Jl. Melawai was valued at Rp 17 million a square meter, while land on Jl. Jeruk Purut was priced at Rp 2 million a square meter.

In a letter, the office of the Ministry of National Education said the private firm would also provide another piece of land measuring 4,000 square meters in Bintaro area, South Jakarta.

The office said the SMP 56 students should move to the new site as the old school buildings are no longer feasible for studying as it is located in a busy retail district. (jun)