Assisting Private School Admission Fees, DKI Tucks IDR171 Billion

JAKARTA - The Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta plans to provide admission fee assistance for students who are not accepted at public schools and eventually enter private schools.

The plan to provide assistance was based on protests by a number of parents of students whose children did not qualify for public schools. Plus, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a decline in the economic condition of the community.

In a meeting chaired by DKI Governor Anies Baswedan, DKI Assistant for People's Welfare, Catur Laswanto, explained the assumed cost required to help pay admission fees of IDR171 billion.

In detail, the budget for tuition assistance for private schools is currently set at Rp1 million per elementary school student, Rp1.5 million per junior high school student, and Rp.2.5 million per high school and vocational school student.

"The estimated cost assistance is Rp171,065,500,000. This is an estimate of the cost needs which of course is still moving. However, this figure is the result of an analysis by the Education Office and also the willingness of the Private College Deliberative Body (BMPS) to provide relief to students," he said. Chess in a meeting broadcast uploaded by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government's YouTube account, Sunday, July 19.

The figures to be issued by the DKI Provincial Government are still in the form of assumptions. The calculation starts with 126,011 students who do not enter public schools in the 2020-2021 school year and are considered private.

Then, this figure is reduced by 21,441 students who have registered for private schools without attending PPDB public schools. They are considered capable without being given educational assistance.

Then, in determining the accuracy of the data, the DKI Provincial Government matches student data on PPDB with data on families of recipients of COVID-19 social assistance. So that the total data of students receiving assistance was 85,508.

"Why do we match it? Because the assumption is that when there will be assistance with admission fees or tuition fees, they are the ones who are eligible and affected by COVID," explained Catur.

"Therefore, as PPDB equivalent data that is not accepted in the country, the assumption means that in the private sector we match it with social assistance. So, we find NIK and from there we get data on the eligibility of parents who have been affected by the economy due to COVID," he added.

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Meanwhile, regarding the source of funds, the DKI Provincial Government has two options, namely unexpected costs (BTT) for handling COVID-19 or budgeting tuition assistance for private schools into the revised regional revenue and expenditure budget (APBD-P).

Head of DKI Inspectorate Michael Rolandi said that if using the BTT budget, the DKI Provincial Government could put assistance into the category of social safety net.

"We in the DKI Task Force have a field of accountability. There, there are members of the forkopimda such as BPKP, the High Prosecutor's Office, and Reskrimsus. Later, I will discuss with them, is it possible that this is included in the BTT category," said Michael.

Then, if using the APBD-P which requires discussion with the DPRD, the time for budget participation is still possible to pay admission fees. This is because private schools are currently providing the opportunity to extend payments.

"This means not now, but for a long time. So if the budget will be borne by the APBD, it is still possible to include it in the 2020 APBD," he said.

Responding to this, Anies asked his staff to finalize the aid figures, which currently are still assumptions. Then, prepare documents and a legal basis related to the admission fee program.

"I think, with regard to the APBD-P, maybe we have started guerrilla chat with the commission (DPRD DKI). Regarding costs, we will calculate it next week. For BTT, Mr. Inspector (Michael) will help discuss it with all departments," he said. Anies.

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