Jakarta (Koran Tempo: 13/06/06) National Education Ministry offers two options on the disbursement of School Operational Assistance (BOS) funds to the House of Representatives. "The first alternative is channelling the funds for 12 provinces," said Director General for Primary and Secondary Education Suyanto in a working meeting with the Education Commission at the House of Representatives yesterday.

Those provinces are, among others, Aceh, Bangka Belitung, Central and West Kalimantan, West Sulawesi, and Maluku. There are 5.2 millions elementary school students and 1.7 millions junior high school students in those provinces. Those provinces are chosen because their average grades in the national examination were low and their poverty rate is high.

Elementary school students will get text books for mathematics, natural sciences and Indonesian language; while Junior High School students will get text books for Indonesian, English and mathematics. National Education Ministry estimates mathematics books for Elementary School cost around Rp 45,430, natural sciences Rp 34.100, and Indonesian language Rp 40,470.

Meanwhile, it estimates that mathematics book for Junior High School cost Rp 56,320, Indonesian language Rp 44, 880, and English Rp 38,800. "The total funds needed for 12 provinces would be around Rp 880 billion." The second alternative is distributing the funds for the entire provinces. Around Rp1.66 trillion is needed for 29.5 million elementary school students and 10.5 million junior high school students in the 33 provinces. "We let the House to decide which option to be taken," he said.

The House Commission X has not taken any decision yet. Five House members agreed to channel assistance for 12 provinces. Wayan Koster from PDIP said he agreed to spend the funds for 12 provinces because students could get the books quickly and easily. “We are running out of time, the new school year will soon arrive,” Wayan said. Anita Yacoba Liakobagah from the Democrate Party also endorses this option because the National Education Ministry has been using poverty index to determine the provinces.

Among the House members who support the option to distribute the books for 33 provinces, are among others Anwar Datuk Rajo Perak from Reform Star party (PBR). "Do not violate the agreement to provide the BOS funds for books procurement for all," Anwar said. Meanwhile, Elviana from the PDIP was questioning the price estimation by the National Education Ministry. She said that the price is much higher than the price of books published by Association of Indonesian Publishers (Ikapi) which cost between Rp 20 and 30 thousands.