School fees

From Bisnis Indonesia

As a concerned parent I want to obtain some information and at the same time would like to give some suggestions.

* The President once said that elementary school education is free. But the reality is different. All my children have to pay school fees. The last child, in the sixth grade, has to pay Rp 500 per month. Is this approved by the educational authority?

* The Parent-Teacher Organization always makes decisions requiring parents to pay such expenses as fees for school equipment, building and marking the new academic year. In this case can't the ministry of education and culture issue an announcement concerning school fees that have to be paid by parents?

* On school uniforms, many schools sell school uniforms at a price already decided by the office of education and culture, and it is an obligation for parents to buy them. Why do school do this business? Actually, it is the parents' job to provide their children with uniforms. And I would like to suggest to the education ministry to ban the schools from selling uniforms. Also all additional apparel like batik shirts, hats, neck ties, belts etc. should be abolished, because they are not essential and only add to the parents' burden.

AMIR

Jakarta