Berliana Marpaung (54), a resident of Jalan Kampung Baru, RT 17/03, Sunter Agung Urban Village, Tanjung Priok Sub-District, North Jakarta, now can relax. This is because the school certificate of her daughter, Regina Natasya Simanjuntak who graduated from State Senior High School (SMAN) 41 Sunter, is finally given by the school after previously held.

There are still four to five certificates held there. I’ve asked the school to give those certificates to their owners without having to pay a cent

Head of North Jakarta Secondary Education Sub-Department, Mustafa Kemal, said he has warned the school’s administration teacher who asked some money to Marpaung to have her daughter’s certificate. Besides Simanjuntak’s certificate, there are still other students who have not received theirs.

“ There are still four to five certificates held there. I’ve asked the school to give those certificates to their owners without having to pay a cent ,” stated Kemal, Thursday (6/19).

For information, Simanjuntak’s certificate was held because the school asked Marpaung to pay Rp 3,445,000 as school fee arrear. Because Marpaung was not able to pay it, she reported the matter to North Jakarta Secondary Education Sub-Department.

“I was shocked when asked to pay such huge amount of money. They (the school) said the arrear was for development fee, OSIS fee, and tutoring fee,” disclosed Marpaung.

According to Marpaung, she went to the school four times to get her daughter’s certificate, but the school insisted would not give it before she pays the money. Not only that, the school also asked her to make a statement letter stating that she will pay the money in installments.

“They asked me to make a statement letter. They said I could pay in installments if I had money. I told them I cannot afford it,” she uttered.