JAKARTA - Plt. Director of Politeknik Negeri Semarang (Polines) Dr. Karnowahadi, S,E., MM was invited to a Hearing Meeting (RDP) with the Education Financing Working Committee (Panja) of Commission Parliament, Jakarta, Thursday (27/6/2024).
This Hearing Meeting was chaired by the Deputy Chair of Commission X or Chair of the Education Financing Working Committee, Dr. Dede Yusuf, ME, MIPol. which was also attended by the Chancellor of the University of Indonesia, the Chancellor of Hasanuddin University, the Chancellor of the University of Riau, the Chancellor of Nusa Cendana University Kupang, the Chancellor of the Indonesian Arts and Culture Institute (ISBI) Bandung and the Director of the Sriwijaya State Polytechnic in Palembang
Dr. Karnowahadi, S,E., MM as Plt. Director Polines highlighted the budget allocation from the Government which consists of Pure Rupiah (RM) and State University Operational Assistance (BOPTN). These budget sources include office operations, salaries, performance allowances, lecturer certification allowances and honorary allowances for professors.
"In the last five years, the office's operational budget has decreased, on the one hand, operational costs have become higher. "Furthermore, there has been no change or increase for functional allowances for lecturers for almost 17 (seventeen) years, so there is a significant difference with allowances for Educational Laboratory Staff and other Functional Positions," he said.
Furthermore, regarding the implementation of the 20 (twenty) percent allocation of the education function budget, he said there was a need to reformulate the budget allocation for equipment renewal.
"In this case, Polytechnics, especially Polytechnics, the existing equipment is a product from 1982 until now and has never been refurbished because the costs are very large, where one piece of equipment reaches 1 (one) to 2 (two) billion, especially study programs in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering. ," he said.
Plt. Director Polines said that the principles of learning in Polytechnic Higher Education are: “one student one tool” which has the consequence of being more expensive.
"So at this Polytechnic, one student is one tool, so a special budget is needed for the laboratory and workshop equipment revitalization program which is on par with current industrial advances. On the other hand, we also hope that there will be no dichotomy between State Universities and Private Universities, both in the amount of funding and the ability to educate the nation. "The difference is in the source of financing," he explained.
Regarding more affordable education costs, he added that it is necessary to provide subsidies or assistance to underprivileged students either through scholarship schemes or inter-ministerial cooperation schemes.
"We told you a little that every year when re-registering, many students and their parents queue to the campus finance department to ask for relief so they can pay the Single Tuition Fee (UKT) in installments because they can't afford it. This can be seen from our total number of students of 7,600 each semester, at least 500 "students will definitely apply," he added.
At the end of his presentation, he stated that the education budget allocation needed to be increased because it involved the ideal quality of education.
"In the allocation of the education budget and its implementation, we really hope that appropriate proportions will be given and even need to be increased and ensure that at least 20 percent of the APBN and APBD are allocated for education under the Ministry of Education and Culture," he concluded.ang/jul)