Students fight to stay in school

By Edith Hartanto

JAKARTA (JP): Under the weight of the economic crisis, about 2.5 million students have dropped out of the nation's schools and universities over the past year. Alarming as the number may be, some consolation can be taken in the fact it is below the projection of up to 8 million, Minister of Education and Culture Juwono Sudarsono said.

"High public awareness of the need for education and parents' strong will have helped keep down the number of school dropouts," Juwono said last week in an evaluation of education in 1998.

Other factors helping students stay in school include the ban on state schools charging all but government-set fees, extension of the deadline for school registration, government subsidies for school operating costs and scholarship schemes.

The government has allotted Rp 190.5 billion in scholarships and Rp 187.8 billion for operational support for educational activities under its social safety net program.

Since the program opened in September, the ministry has disbursed 71 percent (Rp 135.65 billion) of the scholarship funds and 67 percent (Rp 128.49 billion) of the operational support fund to intended parties through 314 branches of the state postal service PT Pos Indonesia.

"The delay in distributing the remaining 30 percent of the scholarship fund was due to red tape, mismanagement at the regional level and difficulties in reaching remote areas," Juwono said.

He expressed concern over the delay's effect on needy students. "In Jakarta alone, only one third of the total 1.8 million university students could be reached through the scholarship program."

Another fund amounting to Rp 174 trillion, prepared in cooperation with the office of the Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication, is earmarked for university students, including postgraduates. Each scholarship will be worth Rp 720,000 a year.

"Currently we're preparing for the second quarter of the project, starting in January, with a total of Rp 190.5 million in scholarships," he added.

The total budget for the 1998 to 2003 education safety net is estimated to reach US$487.34 million. The ministry expects the World Bank to provide $193.79 million, the Asian Development Bank $71.39 million and the government $222.16 million.

With funds from the World Bank, the government has also worked to exempt poor students of school fees in West Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi and eastern islands.

Five more provinces outside of Java -- North Sumatra, Riau, Bengkulu, South Sulawesi and Maluku -- will be included in the scheme this year.

Juwono also revealed that malfeasance in awarding contracts for school textbooks funded by the World Bank had been resolved.

"Transparency and better management on the ministry's side is needed to hinder possible swindles," Director of Elementary and Secondary Education Indra Djati Sidi said at the same occasion.

In September, Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) estimated that up to 30 percent was embezzled of the World Bank's Rp 1.3 trillion for the book projects.

Still under investigations are irregularities in the construction of schools with World Bank loans, Indra said.

An outcry ensued after reports of substandard junior high school buildings recently completed in East Java and West Sumatra.

Student movement

Many considered 1998 the year of the student movement. Their push for reform peaked with the resignation of Soeharto in May. Their resurgent effort to have their voice heard during November's Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) ended in dozens of deaths in clashes between student protesters and security personnel.

"A student movement needs momentum. Once they lose it, it's hard to catch up and rebuild it," Juwono told The Jakarta Post.

"I think the next momentum will be the general election. Therefore, students must be aware not to be trapped and further politically manipulated."

He warned of outsiders' attempts to curry favor and plant ideas among students through overtures of support. "Most of them (students) are smart enough to take the money but not the ideas."

In the long run, however, the influence may be inevitable. "It is not easy to remain uninfluenced by the sponsors."

Three underlining causes -- the worsening economic crisis, mass unemployment and poor prospects for university graduates -- kept the movement going, he added.

"And the current reason for the movement is political crisis born from the economic turmoil. It is not difficult to deploy students or the masses for protests in such a situation," he said.

"On this point, we have entered the politics of selling conscience. From democracy to the student movement... all of this has become a commodity. You can find a protest with special rates these days.

"Recent protests and incidents showed that anybody who dislikes the government has a big pool to gather people from for demonstrations."

He feared the protest action and the clamor to take up diverse causes were muffling the students' message.

"You name it... people can stage protests on behalf of reforms, human rights, education, freedom of the press, women's rights. All kinds of issues are available.

"With such underlining causes, it's understandable. But when students sell out, this surely terminates their function as a moral force... especially in the next election campaign in which many political parties will vie for student support."

Juwono quipped that the students' supporters provided a beneficial service.

"As long as there is money to buy food for the students and other protesters, give them transport fees, it's a good thing. I think of it as similar to a labor intensive project."

Juwono warned students against being "absolute idealists" and "absolute moralists", which were the beginning of tyranny.

"Be smart in picking choices and be realistic."

Compared to its predecessors in 1966, 1974 or 1978, the student movement in the past year bore several unique characteristics.

"Its advantage is that this movement does not have specific leaders. That's why is hard to end the movement. Almost all elements of universities took part in it. It's incredible."

The movement will continue in line with the worsening economic crisis.

"Part of this chaotic condition will resolve after the election... that is why it is important for students to start monitoring the campaign and all of the poll's processes."

Lurking as a danger is stigmatization along ethnic, racial and religious lines of several campuses noted as hotbeds of the movement.

"Atma Jaya, Trisakti and UKI are defined by certain parties as non-Muslim campuses... There is a polarization of (public) perception that these campuses represent students who are against (President B.J.) Habibie.

"Actually these campuses are nondimensional universities but in politics, perception matters. I just hope that in the running of this democratization process, there will be no more victims or students to be sacrificed."

Public figures will be vying for attention at campuses in the general election campaign, "particularly at the Salemba and Depok campuses of University of Indonesia", said Juwono, himself a political science professor at the institution.

The ministry has issued five guidelines as a precaution against friction at universities:

* free campuses from political parties' attributes;

* provide opportunities for political figures to express their views within a scientific forum;

* continue the regular academic learning process;

* support a free, fair, open and peaceful campaign and electoral process;

* continue extracurricular activities.

Juwono hoped no more student lives would be lost.

"We have seen too much bloodshed. So my message to the students who joined the election watchdog network... please be very careful because you could be a target of hatred of the campaign participants.

"I want students to live their lives and become the leaders of this country."