Adpara, Jakarta – School expenses in Jakarta could double from last year due to budget cuts for school operational funds, an official said.

Head of the Jakarta Middle and Upper Education Agency, Margani M. Mustar, said Thursday the City Council had slashed Rp 69 billion (US$7.58 million) from the budget and reallocated it toward scholarships for low-income students.

Margani said each student had to pay for all operational expenses and facilities at their school, which should cover electricity bills and the purchase of chalk.

Speaking at a seminar on affordable education in Jakarta, Margani said the administration had proposed Rp 60 billion this year for school operations, an increase from Rp 45 billion in 2007.

"I support the scholarships program, but it should not cut the administration's ability to pay for school operational expenses," he told Tempointeraktif.com.

The subsidy last year allowed students in city schools to pay 60 percent of school operational expenses, while students on the outskirts of the capital paid between 30 and 35 percent of expenses.