'Universities care too much about money'

'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.