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Developer keeps classrooms locked over debt
LEAN ON: Third grade teacher Ujang Suyana teaches his class in the corridor of state elementary school SDN Cilubang 06 on Wednesday
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LEAN ON: Third grade teacher Ujang Suyana teaches his class in the corridor of state elementary school SDN Cilubang 06 on Wednesday. Developers have locked the school’s newly built classrooms because the school cannot afford to pay for them. (JP/Theresia Sufa)
For the past year Nurlia and her classmates have had to sit on the floor of their school corridor, bending down for almost the whole school day from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
"It hurts my back and stomach because I often get cold," said the third grader at state elementary school SDN Cilubang 06 in Dramaga, Bogor.
"When I get home my mother always bathes me in cajuput oil to relieve me from the pain."
Third, fourth and fifth graders at the school have to study outdoors because the new buildings, which are supposed to be their classrooms, have been locked by the developer.
"We don't have the money to pay for the classrooms," school teacher Madrohi told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
He said the school was in debt from the construction of the new classrooms.
The project started in May 2007 and was funded by the West Java administration. The Rp 120 million (US$10,909) fund was disbursed in August last year and was received by headmaster Fatimah in cash.
The handover of the money was witnessed by the school committee and an official from Dramaga district administration, Rosadi. The teachers, according to Madrohi, were not informed about the fund.
The construction had been going for six months when the workers stopped.
"The school committee reported that the developer didn't receive all the money intended for the construction," Madrohi said.
Rosadi found another developer to complete the project in September. The developer, however, is withholding the new classrooms until the school pays Rp 73 million for the work.
"The developer threatened to dismantle the classrooms," Madrohi said.
"We reported the case to the education agency and during the meeting with the school headmaster, Rosadi said he had stolen the fund. He was given window time to pay up what he had taken, but he hasn't shown up at the office.
"Headmaster Fatimah retired three months ago, so it's us, the teachers and the 121 students, who have to bear the consequences," Madrohi said.
In addition to lacking three functional classrooms, the school doesn't have a lavatory, he said.
