Rencana Alih Fungsi Lahan SDN Pondok Cina 1 Menjadi Masjid di Margonda, Depok Sebaiknya Ditinjau Ulang

JAKARTA - A number of parents of students at SDN Pondok Cina 1 Depok City have insisted on asking the Depok City Government to immediately cancel the plan to convert the school's land into a Grand Mosque. Unless, indeed, a replacement building has been prepared.

They don't accept that students have to go to another school. This is because the relocation school is actually also not ready in terms of infrastructure to accommodate hundreds of students at SDN Pondok Cina 1 Depok City.

"We don't have a problem with this land being built for anything. What we want, please do it the right way. Prepare the replacement land first, so that our children are not divided and have to go in during the day," said the parent of a student, known as Ika, during a dialogue with representatives from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), last Friday.

The atmosphere of the dialogue is very tense. A number of parents and students cried and screamed hysterically when they complained about their children's condition. Moreover, knowing that their aspirations have been ignored. Even though there has not been a meeting point, the Depok City Education Office will continue the school relocation process as of November 14, 2022.

KPAI Commissioner Retno Listyarti understands the objections of the parents of these students. They consider the policies of the Depok City Education Office (Disdik) not to be in favor of the interests of the child.

“Many children have been going to school in the morning and afternoon tutoring or reciting the Koran. With the afternoon school policy, their children cannot take lessons or recite the Koran, considering that there are no places for tutoring and reciting the Koran in the morning," said Retno in a written statement received by VOI, Sunday (11/20).

The City Government of Depok has indeed socialized the regrouping or merging with parent-student associations since 2021. However, the reality is that the regrouping process has not reached a common ground.

SDN Pondok Cina 3 and SDN Pondok Cina 5 which were the relocation sites did not have sufficient classrooms to accommodate the 360 ​​students from SDN Pondok Cina 1.

"It is known that the new classrooms at Pondok China 5 Elementary School will only be built with the 2023 budget. But the Education Office has moved them in 2022," said Retno.

Like it or not, the learning mechanism is carried out using alternating classes, morning classes, and afternoon classes.

Since the implementation of the transfer, only 120 students have gone to the two schools. Meanwhile, 240 other students remained.

“Students who choose to stay are neglected by their educational services. The teaching and learning process is carried out by volunteers, not by teachers because all the teachers have been transferred to SDN Pondok Cina 3 and SDN Pondok Cina 5,” said Retno.

It lasted 4 days. Thus, there is a potential violation of the National Education System Law. In article 12 of Law no. 20 of 2003 concerning the National Education System (Sisdiknas) stipulates, "Every student in each education unit has the right to receive educational services according to their talents, interests and abilities".

Article 11 of the National Education System Law also states "The Government and Regional Governments are obliged to provide services and facilities, and guarantee the implementation of quality education for every citizen without discrimination".

Besides, according to Retno, the principle of school regrouping  has been referring to a smaller number of students, generally under 100 students. Combined with other schools whose number of students is also less.

"Meanwhile, the conditions of the 3 schools in Pondok Cina which are close to each other have a very large number of students. SDN Pondok Cina 3 has 253 students and SDN Pondok Cina 5 has 182 students. Meanwhile, Pondok Cina 1 has more students, 360 students. Therefore, the reason for regrouping is difficult to accept," Retno added.

KPAI recommendation

On this basis, KPAI asked the Principal of SDN Pondok Cina 1 Depok City in a short term solution or if there is still a polemic, it is obligatory to provide distance learning to students who are still studying at their original school and are required to serve semester exams which will be held in December 2022.

All assignments and semester exam results will be included in student learning outcomes in this semester's report card, because this is a child's right that is guaranteed by law.

"KPAI has conveyed directly to the school and the Depok City Education Office regarding this proposal and the school and the Education office when asking for information from the parties. Both the school and the Depok Education Office are willing to fulfill the child's rights," said Retno.

KPAI also urges the Depok City Education Office to immediately return the learning process of 360 students at SDN Pondok Cina 1 Depok to its original location until the construction of the mosque and school building is ready to be carried out on time.

"This decision will create a conducive situation and children will also be served well in their education," said Retno.

Bila memang tetap terhadap keputusan untuk membangun masjid di lahan tersebut, ada baiknya pula keberadaan SDN Pondok Cina 1 tetap dipertahankan.

Masjid bisa berada di lantai 1, sementara ruang-ruang belajar berada di lantai 2 dan 3. Masjid tersebut menjadi bagian gedung sekolah yang dapat dimanfaatkan warga sekolah maupun warga sekitar untuk beribadah.

Hal ini didasarkan pada  kepentingan terbaik bagi anak-anak mendapatkan hak atas pendidikan sebagaimana amanat Pasal 31 UUD 1945 dan UU No. 20 Tahun 2003 tentang Sisdiknas dan dapat melayani warga yang membutuhkan masjid.

“Banyak sekolah di berbagai daerah memiliki masjid sekolah yang dapat digunakan juga oleh warga sekitar untuk sholat wajib berjamaah maupun sholat Jumat. Gedung sekolah bertingkat juga sudah banyak dijumpai di berbagai wilayah karena keterbatasan lahan untuk membangun sekolah”, imbuh Retno.

Pindah Lokasi Atau Dibatalkan

Wali Kota Depok Mohammad Idris menegaskan, proses perpindahan tempat belajar-mengajar para murid SDN Pondok Cina 1 hanya sementara. Ini bukan merger.

"Numpang sementara, karena ruang kelas di SDN Pondok Cina 3 dan SDN Pondok Cina 5 terbatas, dibagilah kelasnya ada yang pagi dan siang. Jadi, mohon bersabar, ini hanya masalah teknis,” ucapnya belum lama ini.

Pemkot Depok juga berencana membeli lahan untuk membangun sekolah yang lebih representatif untuk pengganti SDN Pondok Cina 1. Tidak lagi di pinggir jalan Margonda yang membahayakan anak-anak SD.

"Itu yang dipikirkan, jadi tolong sabar sebentar, hindari tindakan memprovokasi dan lakukan klarifikasi kepada kami, Dinas Pendidikan atau Disdik khususnya," imbuhnya.

Gubernur Jawa Barat Ridwan Kamil, pada 17 November lalu juga angkat bicara terkait polemik itu. "Jika lahan memang belum clean and clear untuk alih fungsi, supaya dimusyawarahkan terlebih dulu sebaik mungkin sampai semua pihak menerima."

Apabila lahannya belum siap, Ridwan Kamil menyarankan rencana pembangunan masjid ditinjau ulang. Bisa pindah lokasi atau bisa juga dibatalkan.

Menurut Ridwan Kamil, Pemkot Depok memang meminta bantuan kepada Pemprov Jabar untuk membuat masjid di Jalan Margonda dengan klaim berdasar aspirasi masyarakat. Pemprov Jabar sudah menyetujui dengan syarat lahannya sudah tersedia.

"Jadi, Pemkot Depok meminta bantuan. Tentu kita bantu dengan syarat lahannya harus sudah beres. Saya dapat laporan lahannya beres, tapi ternyata belum. Ini harus diselesaikan dulu oleh Pemkot Depok," tegas Ridwan Kamil.