School fee

School fee

From Republika

The practice of paying for a candidate's seat in a government senior high school in Jakarta still prevails despite the Ministry of Education and Culture's warning that such practices must be stopped.

A number of parents were disappointed when they went to enroll their children in Pondok Gede, Jakarta, and in Kranggan, Bekasi, West Java. One parent complained that he was required to pay Rp 1.5 million to the senior high school in Pondok Gede, and Rp 800,000 for the school in Bekasi. In fact, the official fee for a new entrant is Rp 250,000.

The school clerk explained that the payment was used for several purposes, including the purchase of school uniforms etc. and for teachers to bring in a candidate by illegal means.

R. SUKENDI

Jakarta