A feud between local teachers and Central Java Banyumas Regent Mardjoko is escalating after he issued a law regulating school-funding management.
Teachers rejected the law as a "form of intervention".
"This can no longer be tolerated. It's hard to believe that the school financial management is regulated by a regency law," Banyumas Teachers Interaction Forum chief Agus Wahyudi said Friday.
"We have a school committee," he said. "And we also have authority in line with the home ministerial law."
The dispute began when Mardjoko was appointed as a regent last year.
In November, Mardjoko issued a law regulating school financial management, including school enrollment fees for the new academic term.
This was opposed by nearly all schools, especially private schools heavily relying on students' enrollment fees to operate.
"Every school has its own development program. Where would they find money without enrollment fees?" Agus told The Jakarta Post.
"The funds from the provincial administration are very limited to develop schools."
Based on the education law, schools are authorized to attain funds from the public for development. They can also manage their income and spending budget, approved by the school committee.
Banyumas Education Council chief Trijoko concurred with Agus, saying the ministerial law was an umbrella for the school committee.
"The regency should refer to a higher regulation, not oppose it," Trijoko said.
He also said the regency law was difficult to implement because each school had different needs.
Teachers also said many of the regent's policies did not accommodate their interests.
"Since last year, state teachers in Banyumas have complained about the two-year pending of their allowances by the local administration," Agus said.
"The administration said it lacked the funds to pay our allowances totalling almost Rp 23 billion *US$2.3 million*.
"It also failed to pay private school teachers' allowances."
In response, Banyumas Education Office chief Purwadi Santosa denied the regency law had impeded school rights.
He said the law was aimed at protecting the public from bribery thus maintaining the quality of schools.
"We have received many complaints from people about high state- and private-education costs, especially enrollment fees. Each school sets their enrollment fees on the pretext of high education standards."
Purwadi cited a number of favorite junior and senior high schools in Purwokerto asking millions for admission fees.
"This means poor yet gifted students cannot enroll into their chosen school," Purwadi said. "School committees must make education affordable," he added.
Purwadi also said school committees could seek funds from other sources to improve educational standards.
