REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Association of Indonesian Private Universities (Aptisi) has warned the new government against diminishing the role of private universities in developing the nation's work force.
"Until now, private universities (PTS) have never received just treatment with regard to budget allocations. The government should have respected the principles of equality in treating state and private universities," Aptisi secretary general Prof Dr Suyatno said, in a statement received by Antara on Friday evening.
He added that the spirit of the law on universities is preventing higher learning institutes from being involved in commercialization, which is why the government must not only be responsible for state universities, but must also assure that private universities uphold their non-profit character.
Based on the results of the 6th plenary meeting of the Aptisi central executive board in Bandung on October 23-24, Aptisi concluded that the state must also contribute to private universities' financing, for example, through the Private University Operational Assistance (BOPTS) scheme which is in the national budget.
Suyatno said the government does not need to change private universities into state universities in its effort to help them, but it could assist by empowering them.
He added that the allocation of scholarships for economically less-advantaged students who come from 3T regions (remote, backward and outpost) can also be made available to private universities.
Suyatno said although the law provides room for the establishment of Self-Reliant Accreditation (LAM), and the government has also produced ministerial regulations number 87 of 2014 on accreditation of universities and study programs, discrimination still remains, as reflected in articles 34 and 39 that differentiate financing between government LAM and community LAM.
"In view of that, Aptisi has called on the government to treat higher learning institutes equally and to be responsible for the financing of accreditation and re-accreditation, so the government and the House of Representatives would increase the budget for their implementation," Suyatno said.
He said accreditation must not also be used as a requirement in the selection of civil servants, as it is discriminatory and will adversely affect people in different regions.
"If no study program or institutions with A or B accreditation are found in a region, no one from the region concerned will be able to apply to become a civil servant or pursue further studies," he said.
Aptisi has also proposed increasing the requirements for foreign institutions to operate in the country by, among others, requiring them to meet national educational standards, adopting local wisdom, providing certain programs, cooperating with local universities, recruiting local lecturers, and becoming non-profit and developing sciences that support the nation's interests.
"The issuance of the education minister's regulation number 95 of 2014 makes it possible for foreign universities to operate in the country in the form of a commercial presence. The foreign universities (PTA) must be treated as partners of local, state and private universities in the framework of improving the quality of university education in Indonesia," Suyatno said.
Suyatno noted that Aptisi called on the government, and especially high learning institutes as institutions that produce human resources, to pay serious attention to the country's lack of preparations to meet the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community by increasing information about MEA to the public.
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