Parents Complain To DPRD Because Schools Require To Buy Uniforms Of IDR 1.5 Million, Surabaya Dispendik Evaluates

SURABAYA - The Surabaya City Education Office (Dispendik) evaluated a school suspected of having sold school uniforms for students who belonged to the low-income category (MBR).

"We will conduct an evaluation, where is the real problem," said Head of the Surabaya Dispendik Supomo, quoted by Antara, Friday, September 3.

Regarding the uniform complaints from several parents, Supomo stated that his party had met them. He also stated that his party temporarily closed the sale of uniforms in school cooperatives for evaluation.

"Alhamdulillah, we have visited residents who complained. Then for schools, especially the state, we have closed the sale of the uniforms, so we forbid them to sell," he said.

Supomo reminded all school principals not to force parents to buy uniforms through school cooperatives. This is as stated in Permendikbud Number 45 of 2014 concerning School Uniforms for Students at Elementary and Secondary Education Levels

In fact, the Mayor of Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi, had previously reminded school principals not to force parents to buy uniforms. However, in the field apparently there are still residents who feel compelled to buy school uniforms.

According to him, students can still use the previous uniform. Or, if the student goes up from elementary school to junior high school, he can still wear the uniform from his brother or sister.

"You can use clothes that already exist. Or maybe use clothes that are owned by a brother or sister that can still be worn, in principle like that," he said.

So far, said Supomo, students have indeed bought attributes for uniforms in school cooperatives. However, due to problems arising, the sale of uniforms in school cooperatives is temporarily closed for evaluation.

"So it will be evaluated later, so that later we can only decide after evaluating the emergence of these problems. So we closed the sales (of uniforms) at schools. We evaluate, we will report the results to the Mayor," he said.

Regarding the guardians of the MBR category, Supomo also appealed to them not to worry about their children's uniforms. Because, the Surabaya City Government has prepared school equipment such as uniforms and so on.

"Therefore, parents and guardians of students should not be confused because the city government has prepared it. Since the government's budget is being used, the mechanism is still in process," he said.

A number of parents previously complained about the alleged practice of levying school uniforms for students at SMPN 15 and SMPN 54 Surabaya in the new academic year to the PDIP Fraction of the DPRD City of Surabaya, East Java, Thursday (2/9).

"Uniforms for boys are worth Rp. 1.5 million and for girls who wear headscarves, Rp. 1.6 million," said the guardian of a student at SMPN 15 Surabaya Lastri when he complained to the PDIP faction.

According to Lastri, the charges burden him, especially since he is currently in the MBR category.