Regions crucial to free education

The central government urged regional administrations Wednesday to be committed in enacting the free nine-year basic education for all act, which comes into effect next year.

Citing the 2003 Law on the National Education System and the 2008 state budget, Education Minister Bambang Sudibyo said regional administrations were responsible for ensuring all children under their respective jurisdictions had access to free education.

"It is obviously stated that basic education should be free for all, and that if there is a deficit in the funding (from the central government), the regents and mayors should cover it," Bambang told 315 of the 387 regents grouped under the Association of Regional Administrations.

"Regency and municipal administrations must take action against the management of schools that collect levies from students. I will report regents or mayors that don't obey this regulation to the State Administrative Court," Bambang added.

According to the 1945 Constitution, which was amended in 2002, the central government and regional administrations must allocate at least 20 percent of their respective budgets for education.

The government has for the first time complied with the regulation, allocating 20 percent of the 2009 state budget spending for education, or Rp 207.4 trillion (US$19 billion).

However, the National Education Ministry has said the nine-year basic compulsory education plan will not materialize without contribution from regional administrations.

Bambang cited as examples the "good cooperation" between South Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi provincial administrations and local administrations under them, which offered free basic education in their jurisdictions and punished schools in violation of the education law.

"This free education doesn't mean that parents are not allowed to donate. They can of course do so, but shall not be forced to," he said.

Apkasi chairman Master Parulian Tumanggor told reporters on the sidelines of the meeting that even the poorest regencies should be able to comply with the constitutional mandate, citing the general and special allocation funds allocated by the central government for regions that had had their education systems criticized.