Jakarta – University of Indonesia (UI) students marked the first day of going back to campus after a long holiday by boycotting classes on Monday, following the university's decision not to cancel a policy on an extra school fee.

At their campus in suburban Depok, east of Jakarta, students could be seen sitting in front of their respective department buildings since morning.

Speeches were made against the policy, which obliges students to pay an extra school fee beside the Rp 510,000 (US$60) tuition fee. The extra fee, which goes into the Education Quality Improvement Fund (DPKP), is Rp 1 million for students in the School of Medicine, School of Engineering and School of Math and Pure Sciences. The fee is Rp 750,000 for students who take social sciences.

Earlier, about 700 students failed to register for classes in protest against the fee. Students also blockaded the gate, preventing cars from entering the campus. Students at the university's other campus on Jl. Salemba, Central Jakarta also boycotted classes.

Earlier, assistant to UI rector for students affairs Umar Mansur said that the extra fee was needed because UI was struggling to cover financial shortages after cuts in government funding.