Unregistered schools quetion govt ruling

JAKARTA (JP): Principals of unregistered vocational schools questioned over the weekend the government's agenda in asking them to meet all official requirements or face closure.

They said they had fulfilled all important requirements demanded by the government, and felt they were being forced into a corner.

Slamet Butar Butar, principal of the technical high school (STM) Ristek Sari Mulya in East Jakarta, said the school had 48 students and employed 15 experienced and qualified teachers.

"Our school has satisfactory student facilities," he said, although he admitted the school used the building of SMA (high school) Karya Mulya.

"I have tried to register our school many times and failed. We are now listed as one of 20 unregistered and disqualified vocational schools the government plans to close; what does the Jakarta's Ministry of Education and Culture really want?" Butar Butar said.

Butar Butar made the comments at a meeting with other principals of unregistered schools and senior officials at the Ministry of Education and Culture office.

The meeting was held following the government's move to close unregistered and disqualified vocational schools last week. Nine out of 21 principals invited to the meeting were absent, for no stated reason.

Kusnan Ismukanto, head of the Ministry of Education and Culture office, said Wednesday there were at least 21 vocational schools in Jakarta without their own buildings or qualified teachers. These are the minimum standards required by the government.

Other principals of vocational schools aired similar complaints.

Erwin Nasution, principal of an economics high school (SMEA), Wijaya Kusuma in North Jakarta, had another opinion on the operation:

"It is a completely new policy which requires people to get permission before opening a school," Erwin said.

In the past, if enough students were available, suitable buildings and teaching equipment could be found and good teachers were willing to work, a school could be opened, he said.

He questioned why the government had approved the establishment of another school of economics, which he described as inferior in quality to his own, and yet planned to close his school.

Erwin said the government had not explained why consent for his school to run had not been granted, when he believed it had met all requirements.

Zaidun, principal of SMEA Cordova, also in North Jakarta, acknowledged the government had warned him to transfer all students to licensed schools.

He said the government did not understand the proper meaning of their minimum standards.

"The real minimum standard they must respect is that every citizen has the right to an education, as stipulated in the 1945 Constitution," he said.

Zaidun has been teaching for nine years at Cordova, run by the Islamic-oriented Darul Ghuffron Foundation.

He said there were many poor fishermen in the area who could not afford to give their children an education.

"Most of our students help their parents sell fish in the market at night," he said.

He said most of the people in the area had only graduated from secondary schools. "They long for further education."

He said he had complied with requests to transfer second and third graders students to SMEA Benteng Gading at Kapuk, also in North Jakarta.

Costly

For "unregistered schools", transferring students to "qualified schools" was a costly project.

Erwin said it would be difficult for his 269 students to be transferred.

"It will be expensive. Rp 100,000 (US$42) will not be adequate for one student," he said.

He said each student was charged Rp 15,000 (US$ 6.3) in school fees each month.

Sugeng Supriyadi, principal of the Christian SMEA Cahaya Kudus in Muara Karang, said he would also comply with the government's requirement, but asked the government to develop its knowledge of the area's economic condition.

Bunyamin, head of the STM Bunyamin in South Jakarta, admitted the standard of his school was not as high as many registered schools, but said the school woumd be improved next year. He said he would invite students' parents to become more involved. (07)