Jakarta, NU Online
House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono has called on parties dissatisfied with the Educational Legal Entities Bill, which was passed by lawmakers on Dec. 17, to file a judicial review to the Constitutional Court.
He acknowledged that the bill contained some articles which have been deemed controversial.<>
"The newly passed bill will allow universities to reduce their operating costs, as two thirds of their expenses will be paid for by the state," he was quoted by Antara news agency saying in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The new regulation will bar schools from imposing levies on students and Article 41 of the bill states that the government is responsible for the expenses of state schools which provide any part of the mandatory nine-years of basic education.
It means that the government must cover all operating costs, investments, scholarships and financial aid for these schools, which will bring the country closer to universal free basic education.
Senior high schools and universities may still charge students a maximum fee equal to one-third of operating costs, but the government will be obliged to cover at least one-third of the operating costs of high schools and half of those of universities.
Before passing the bill, Agung said, lawmakers had gone through long debates and discussions, particularly with the Commission X overseeing education and among the steering committee deliberating the bill.
He denied accusations that lawmakers have allowed the commercialization of education in the country.
Since the passage of the bill, university students across the country have held sporadic protests as recently as Wednesday.
In Bandung, Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University students called on the rectorate to oppose the passage of the bill. Student coordinator Aliansyah said the implementation of the bill, once it becomes a law, would only raise the tuition of state universities.
In Surakarta, Central Java, hundreds of Sebelas Maret University students staged a rally, rejecting passage of the bill.
In Banda Aceh, Aceh, Syiah Kuala Darussalam University students held a protest in front of Governor's office and the Aceh Legislative Council building for three days running.
Similar protests also took place in Serang, Banten; Semarang; Malang, Jember and Pasuruan, East Java; Jambi, Jambi province; Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi; Gorontalo, Gorontalo province; and Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara. (jp/dar)
House of Representatives Speaker Agung Laksono has called on parties dissatisfied with the Educational Legal Entities Bill, which was passed by lawmakers on Dec. 17, to file a judicial review to the Constitutional Court.
He acknowledged that the bill contained some articles which have been deemed controversial.<>
"The newly passed bill will allow universities to reduce their operating costs, as two thirds of their expenses will be paid for by the state," he was quoted by Antara news agency saying in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The new regulation will bar schools from imposing levies on students and Article 41 of the bill states that the government is responsible for the expenses of state schools which provide any part of the mandatory nine-years of basic education.
It means that the government must cover all operating costs, investments, scholarships and financial aid for these schools, which will bring the country closer to universal free basic education.
Senior high schools and universities may still charge students a maximum fee equal to one-third of operating costs, but the government will be obliged to cover at least one-third of the operating costs of high schools and half of those of universities.
Before passing the bill, Agung said, lawmakers had gone through long debates and discussions, particularly with the Commission X overseeing education and among the steering committee deliberating the bill.
He denied accusations that lawmakers have allowed the commercialization of education in the country.
Since the passage of the bill, university students across the country have held sporadic protests as recently as Wednesday.
In Bandung, Sunan Gunung Djati State Islamic University students called on the rectorate to oppose the passage of the bill. Student coordinator Aliansyah said the implementation of the bill, once it becomes a law, would only raise the tuition of state universities.
In Surakarta, Central Java, hundreds of Sebelas Maret University students staged a rally, rejecting passage of the bill.
In Banda Aceh, Aceh, Syiah Kuala Darussalam University students held a protest in front of Governor's office and the Aceh Legislative Council building for three days running.
Similar protests also took place in Serang, Banten; Semarang; Malang, Jember and Pasuruan, East Java; Jambi, Jambi province; Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi; Gorontalo, Gorontalo province; and Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara. (jp/dar)
