Ulma Haryanto – A coalition of civil society organizations led by Indonesia Corruption Watch is set to report to the Attorney General's Office a Rp 1 billion ($107,000) embezzlement case involving state high schools allegedly misappropriating education funds for poor students during the 2007-2009 period.
The Coalition for Anti-Corruption Within Education (KAKP), which includes the Tangerang Teachers Union, the Banten Teachers Community and the Alliance of Parents for Education, allege that at least five state high schools have embezzled at least Rp 980 million allocated by the central government for Taman Kegiatan Belajar Mandiri, extensions to state junior high schools (SMPN) aimed at educating underprivileged children.
They claim that the SMPNs should face corruption charges even though they accept that the funds for the TKBM programs were subsequently returned to the government.
"According to the law, as of July 2007, both BOS [operational school aid] and BOP [educational operational costs] schemes were allocated for TKBM. These are local education funds allocated for the TKBM but most of us were not aware of this," Ade Pujiati of the TKBM Ibu Pertiwi in South Jakarta said on Thursday. TKBM Ibu Pertiwi is registered under SMPN 67 state junior high school in Setiabudi, South Jakarta, and was the only TKBM in Jakarta that has received the funds since 2007.
"There are eight TKBMs in Jakarta: four in North Jakarta, two in Central Jakarta, one in West Jakarta and one in South Jakarta. Aside from my school, none of the others received these operational funds," said Ade, a senior representative of the KAKP.
She claimed that, along with ICW, the KAKP had found indications of corruption involving the state junior high schools. The issue was raised last year, when it attracted the attention of the Jakarta Education Agency.
"TKBM administrators were asked to meet education agency officials privately, after we brought the case to public attention," said Novin Widyawati, the administrator of TKBM Johar Baru. "The agency and the headmasters of the schools only offered me their apologies and promised that it won't happen again. They also asked me to sign a statement that there had been no embezzlement."
Novin added that at the meeting, TKBM administrators were asked to forget about the issue and promised they would receive the funds for 2009-2010 period.
Taufik Yudi Mulyanto, the head of the Jakarta Education Agency, told the Jakarta Globe that the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) "has taken care of that. The funds were returned to the state." He added that he had received no further complaints.
"The TKBM Johar Baru wants to control the money by itself, that's why they are still pushing the issue," he said, mentioning that the school did eventually give TKBM Johar Baru the whole amount, "but they could not administer it properly."
However, Febri Hendri, a senior researcher at the ICW, said that even though the schools had returned the embezzled money to the state, "it does not eliminate the fact that they committed the criminal act of corruption."
"Furthermore, of course the TKBMs could not administer the funds properly. They do not have the capacity and were never given the assistance to administer such financial responsibilities," Febri explained. "Those 'mother' schools should be more transparent and accountable on the disbursement of the state funds."
TKBMs, which rely heavily on state subsidies and public donations, can hold classes anywhere from the local mosque or community hall to a private house. TKBMs are acknowledged nationally. Their students have their own national registration number and they can take state exams and receive a diploma.