Students find university guidance books helpful
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
With final exams on May 30, the big question of "What's next?" is on the minds of many Jakarta high school students who don't have a clue where to get an affordable, but credible, higher education.
A university guidance book launched on Thursday was deemed helpful by Nugi, 16, a student of SMU Notre Dame high school in Kedoya, West Jakarta, who wanted to know what alternatives he had besides his first choice, the University of Indonesia.
"I'm pleased that I can read profiles of favorite universities before picking one of them. I think the book can be very useful," he told The Jakarta Post after the book's launch at the office of the city's Middle and High Education Agency.
Student Abdul Wahab from SMK 43 vocational high school said that he wanted to work before continuing his studies.
The book, he said, would help him choose a college after two years of working.
"I can't rely on my parents to pay for the university, so I might get a job first and save some money. The book will help me choose the most affordable one," he said.
The 300-page book, said to be the first of its kind, contains profiles of over 2,000 universities and academies across the country.
It also has many articles, including on how to pass final exams and on college life.
The first 50,000 copies will be distributed free to 1,000 high schools in Greater Jakarta.
Budi Kurniawati Nauli, chairwoman of the Dwi Asih Sejahtera Foundation, which produces and distributes the book, said the book would be distributed only in Greater Jakarta to begin with but would later be available in other provinces.
"It is common for students to become confused at having to make a decision about what school to attend after graduating from high school. We hope the book will be a useful reference for students," she said on the sidelines of the book launch.
Bambang Wijatmiko, project officer of the book program, said the foundation used its own money to print and distribute the 50,000 books, but hoped many advertisements would fill some pages of the next edition so that they could cover costs.
"As we haven't charge students or the universities included in the book, we'll rely on advertisements to cover our costs. There are several advertisements in this edition, but it is a far cry from covering our total expenses," he said, refusing to mention the cost of publishing the book.
He expressed hope that the central government would help as the Jakarta administration did not give any financial assistance for the first edition.
Jakarta Middle and High Education Agency head Margani M. Mustar said the Jakarta administration would support the next edition of the book as the project was in line with his office's program to give students free information.