School fees waived in East Java

SURABAYA: Starting this month, the East Java provincial administration waive the school fees at public elementary and junior high schools.

For this year, the administration has earmarked Rp 365 billion (US$43 million) to support the policy, Imam Utomo, the governor of East Java, has said.

The governor has promised that by 2005, the policy will include senior high schools as well.

Separately, the chairman of the East Java Education Council, Daniel Rosyid, hailed the policy, saying that it was necessary to enhance the quality of human resources in the province.

"The most important thing now is how to monitor the funds, so that there will be no corruption in the disbursement," he said. -- JP