'Universities care too much about money'

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Minister of National Education Abdul Malik Fajar criticized educational institutions in the country for being more concerned about money than about improving the quality of education.

"The independence of an education institutional is very important, but it doesn't have to focus on the money," the minister said on Tuesday, after giving a speech at a national seminar held by the Indonesian Institute of Business.

Some state universities, including the University of Indonesia, the Bandung Institute of Technology, Semarang-based Diponegoro University and Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University, are now implementing "commercial admissions" for rich students.

Prospective students can now enter one of these state universities by paying a "commercial admission fee" of between Rp 15 million (US$1,830) and Rp 250 million. In return, they are not required to take the national state universities admission test (SPMB).

Students following regular admission procedures must sit the admission test. Once they are admitted, they need only pay a one- time admission fee of between Rp 1.2 million and Rp 5 million.

While criticizing the universities' new policy, Malik said that the "commercial admission fee" would be used to support less fortunate students enrolled at the university. He claimed that such a practice was also common in universities abroad, but did not elaborate.

Academicians have responded by urging the government to take legal measures against the practice.

Atmajaya University rector Harimurti Kridalaksana told The Jakarta Post that the implementation of the "commercial admission fee" would raise questions as to the quality of education offered at the university.

Another controversial trend is universities commencing the admission program before high school students had even sat their final examinations and graduated.

Malik pointed out three factors with which universities should concern themselves: Management, to construct a good curriculum; accountability -- both moral and intellectual -- as a responsible institution; and a guarantee of the quality of graduates quality.

He has also criticized the practice of presenting honoris causa doctoral degrees or of receiving credit for postgraduate programs without attending any classes.

"It's so easy to obtain a degree here. Just don't ask about their quality," he said. "The university degree has turned into a social symbol for many people.

"Under the new Education Law, an institution is to be fined Rp 10 billion for every 'illegal' degree," he said, without referring to any laws on "commercial admissions" and "early admissions" rin universities.