Unregistered schools quetion govt ruling

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)