Taken from ‘Bungklang Bungkling’, ‘Murid Baru’, a column by I Wayan Juniartha, published in Bali Post, Sunday 31st July 2011. Translated by Putu Semiada.
Murid Baru (New Students)
‘Hazing’ (pelonco) during school orientation has been banned but the parents still have to deal with things relating o this.
“The difference is just in what they do,” says I Ketut Nanang Teladan (I Ketut Champion Father).
During school orientation they wait for their children outside the schools, and calm down the children after hazing by seniors; and help their children find ‘unusual’ things demanded by their seniors, like some lizards’ eggs and mosquitoes.
“Well it is still okay, I think, as long as the seniors do not ask our children to look for juuk linglang (magic orange) or honest politicians. Both are something quite impossible to find.”
And no matter how busy the parents are, it has nothing to do with oranges or mosquitoes.
“What they do is to ‘approach’ certain parties to give their children —who have poor grades — an opportunity to be able to study at famous schools.”
They approach school administration staff, teachers, and school principals, even Heads of Local Education Departments, Mayor’s Administration Secretary (sekwilda), and even members of local Legislative Assembly.
“Parents may approach the football coach, head of music (gamelan) club, head of dancing club. They may ask for ‘fake’ certificates to complete documents for their children with poor grades. They cheat.”
“After that, parents will try to borrow money here and there as nothing is free. They have to pay for “fake certificates”, money for bribing the schools; they have to pay for admission fees, uniform, ‘voluntary’ donation, ‘compulsory donation’, or donation for ‘prestige’.
This situation makes the public schools ‘over-capacity’ – 50 students in one class. The teachers and headmasters pretend as if they can’t do anything about the situation, they say that they just do their job and that ‘lobbying’ from parents and other parties are unavoidable. As a matter of fact, they smile and feel happy: they will get extra money to save in the bank or buy new cars.
When the time comes, the famous public schools with lots of less brainy students have to retain their reputation as favourite schools. Hence the teachers will let their students cheat during the examination and the teachers themselves will cheat on school grades so that their students look smart.
“If this how they run the school, whit good examples that the new students can follow!”
In their minds, being intelligent and honest is a secondary consideration. The most is important thing is having money. One does not need to respect teachers. One can buy ‘respect’.
