Students against high tuition

Students against high tuition

From Koran Tempo

The Student Executive Body of the University of Indonesia (UI)
has been protesting admission fees for new students by living in
tents on the UI campus in Depok, West Java, since July 4 (Tempo
Interaktif, Aug. 4).

Actually, the students began the action when tuition was
increased from Rp 500,000 to between Rp 1.5 million and Rp 2
million. Talks have been held with UI authorities, the board of
trustees, the national education ministry and the House of
Representatives.

The students also joined UI's funding evaluation team, set up
an educational working group, organized workshops and sought
other solutions to rising fees, until they quit the team because
their proposals were turned down.

Tuition at UI keeps rising, ranging from Rp 5 million to Rp 25
million, excluding a monthly educational fee of Rp 1.4 million.
Student delegates were sent to negotiate with the rector's staff
on July 26, which was followed by a demonstration two days later.

On Aug. 3, students offered to pay an additional "voluntary
contribution", which would be an unlimited amount from those who
could afford to donate, while returning to UI's originally low
tuition. This proposal was also rejected.

ENDAH MULYANI
Depok, West Java