Students protest planned tuition hike

DEPOK: Some 500 students from the University of Indonesia staged a rally on Monday to protest the university's plan to increase tuition.

The students said that although the increase was not yet official, a report in circulation stated that the rector's office had proposed a 300 percent hike to the university's board of trustees.

The students said the decision was now in the hands of the 21- strong board, which is made up of lecturers, businesspeople, parents and students.

Tuition at the university is currently as low as Rp 1.5 million (US$178) per semester.

During the rally, the students also urged reform of the board of trustees, saying that one student representative was not enough. -- JP