Schools told not to collect state exam fees

JAKARTA (JP): The City Education Agency has warned elementary and junior high schools across the capital against asking students to pay state exam fees, an official said on Monday.

Head of the agency Masrul Nim said the policy was made in compliance with the government's decision to cover all expenses related to the administration of this year's state tests for elementary and junior high school students, including those who go to private schools, across the country.

"We prohibit all school managements from charging their students any fees in connection with the state exams. Any school which violates the regulation will be sanctioned," said Masrul on the sidelines of a City Council plenary session on the Seribu Islands.

However, Masrul expressed concern that the government subsidy would not be enough to cover all expenses of the program. The government has estimated the tests will cost Rp 20,000 (US$2.10) for each student.

"We will calculate the budget needed for the program with non- governmental organizations to guarantee a transparent financial forecast," said Masrul.

He added that any shortage of funds would be covered by the 2001 city budget.

According to official data, a total of 141,511 elementary school students will sit for the state exams, scheduled to be held on June 11 through June 13, while the exams for junior high school students, scheduled for May, will be taken by 141,160 people.

The fee last year was set at Rp 18,200 (US$1.90) for elementary school students, according to Masrul.

Contacted separately, the principal of Al Azhar elementary school in South Jakarta, Agusri Siddiq, said he had yet to receive any instruction on the free state exams from the government.

"So far, we have never asked students for any special fee for state exams because all expenses are funded by our school budget," Agusri told The Jakarta Post.

He said the school budget allocated for state exams amounted to Rp 20 million last year, which was spent on, among other things, to print copies of test questionnaires and allowances for teachers administering the exams.

Currently, each student pays a monthly school fee of Rp 135,000.

There are 207 students at the school who will take the state exams this year, he added.

For years, a joint agreement among all elementary schools in the South Jakarta has required each student to pay Rp 7,000 for the state exams, the total of which as forwarded to the Jakarta office of the Ministry of National Education, Agusri said. (07)