Govt to Eradicate Illegal Levies at Schools

Jakarta, InfoPublik – The Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) demanded local governments to give severe sanction to perpretators of illegal levies at schools following the mushrooming cases of levies which has been becoming concern of many people.

“The preactice of illegal levies at educational institutions is not a new thing. They need to be stopped,” said JPPI Advocacy Coordinator Nailul Faruq in a press release received by infopublik.id, Thursday (2/23).

He explained that there are many MOs of illegal levies practices at educational institutions such as through the collection of fees for study tour, school practicums, work books, extracurricular, examination, re-registration, fareweel party, gifts for newly appointed principal, classroom management, including penalties for students who did not do their homework, etc. 

He continued that parents did not bother to pay for the levies since the value is relatively small, about tens of thousand rupiah. Therefore, without a concrete measure, such practice could grow more rapidly, especially when many people are reluctant to report the case.

JPPI urged the public, especially parents, education activists, and mass media to conduct joint campaign of the eradication of school illegal levies. “We must be willing to report illegal levies at school to relevant authorities,”  said Nailul.

It takes commitment to stop and eradicate illegal levies. Principals, teachers, school committee members, parents, society and Education Agency must commit in eradicating illegal levies at school.

“Illegal levies practices are against the law and are included in the category of corruption. Public role is needed to push the local governments in tackling down the perpretators at schools. Strict sanctions are also needed,” he concluded. (Translator: Erik Limantara)