Students want cut in study fees

TANGERANG (JP): More than 1,000 students at state-run senior high school SMUN 1 in Mauk district here went on strike on Thursday, demanding a reduction in the education support fee and transparency in the use of the student organization's funds.

Instead of entering their classrooms, the students gathered in the school yard when the bell rang. Their action astonished the teachers, few of whom were aware of what the students wanted.

The students demanded a meeting with the principal, Suhaya, to set out their complaints.

Twenty student representatives eventually met Suhaya and asked him to reduce the monthly fee of Rp 13,600 (US$1.81) to a maximum of Rp 12,000.

"Last year the education support fee, which included the tuition fee, was only Rp 12,000 per month. Now why has it been raised, even after the government ended the tuition fee? It's too much for us," Yayat, one of the students, said.

He said the students were also demanding an explanation for the use of the student organization fund.

Each student was obliged to pay Rp 1,000 a month to support the organization's activities, he said.

Based on their calculations, the school had collected at least Rp 10.51 million this year, but only Rp 3.6 million of the funds had been used. Where was the rest? Yayat asked.

The students said that they would continue the strike until their questions were answered.

Suhaya said that the fee of Rp 13,600 was in line with a decree issued by the Tangerang regent. (41/jun)