West Lombok Education Office Evaluates TK 1 Narmada After Forcing Parents to Sign Fee Agreement

State Kindergarten (TK) 1 Narmada is under evaluation by the West Lombok Education and Culture Office (Disdikbud) following an incident in which the school forced parents to sign a declaration of willingness to pay education fees. The Head of the Early Childhood Education Division at the West Lombok Disdikbud, Tajudin, stated that the head of TK Negeri 1 Narmada had been summoned to provide clarification regarding the letter. However, the office is not prolonging the case as the document has been withdrawn. “We questioned the parental declaration that was circulating, but the declaration has since been retracted,” Tajudin said on Tuesday. Despite this, the West Lombok Disdikbud is still providing guidance to the staff of TK Negeri 1 Narmada to ensure compliance with regulations concerning financial management in state schools. “The guidance is for orderly school administration and to emphasise that schools must not collect funds, because the institution managed is a state school and is already financed by the government through the School Operational Assistance (BOSP) programme,” Tajudin explained. Tajudin stressed that all state schools will be evaluated to prevent actions that fall outside government regulations or provisions. It was previously reported that parents and guardians of pupils at TK Negeri 1 Narmada were asked to sign a letter containing a statement of willingness and non-objection to paying education costs. The letter even bore a Rp 10,000 stamp duty. The document contained identity columns for the parent, including name, National Identity Number (NIK), address, and telephone number, as well as the child’s data. Below the identity section was a statement reading: “Declare our Willingness and Non-objection to all costs charged to us while our son/daughter is receiving education at TK Negeri 1 Narmada, in order to facilitate the learning process at the school and improve the quality of education.” It concluded: “This declaration is made consciously and without coercion from any party, to be used as appropriate.” Parents were asked to sign the letter over a Rp 10,000 stamp duty, although the document did not specify the nominal amount of the fees to be paid.