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A plan for 12-year compulsory education proposed by the Jakarta administration is not possible because of budget constraints, a city official said on Tuesday, noting that the current budget was only sufficient for the existing nine-year policy.

Taufik Yudhi Mulyanto, Jakarta Education Agency chief, said that with Rp 6 trillion ($648 million) allocated for education in the 2010 city budget, the only way the administration’s plan could come to fruition was with help from wealthy donors.

The amount allocated for education accounted for about a quarter of the total city budget, which stands at Rp 24.67 trillion.

“Ideally, for a 12-year compulsory education program, we would need at least Rp 9.5 trillion. This would mean a total city budget of Rp 40 trillion [if education accounts for about 25 percent of the total] to ensure that other city projects continue uninterrupted, including those aimed at curbing flooding and transportation problems.”

He said that all elements of society needed to have a strong will in regard to educating the city’s children, and that help from the wealthy in particular was needed to educate Jakarta’s poor.

Triwisaksana, City Council deputy chairman, told the Jakarta Globe that the administration should start the plan gradually while improving the existing nine-year program.

“Compulsory education is no achievement. It is the duty of the city toward the people,” Triwisaksana said.

He added that education within state schools in Jakarta should set the standards for state schools in other parts of the nation, considering Jakarta is the capital.

Before 2012, the city should have a clear-cut program to achieve the 12-year compulsory education plan, Triwisaksana said.

Governor Fauzi Bowo’s term ends in 2012.

“The city administration needs to strategize and make cuts,” Triwisaksana said.

Triwisaksana added that from the current cheap tuition fees charged at state high schools and vocational schools, the city could later provide children with free education. The deputy council chairman said the council would also push for the plan and it should be reflected in the city’s budget next year.

Triwisaksana said that strong commitment from all parties, budget efficiency, an increase in regional income and evaluation on the city administration’s stock in city-owned companies and joint-venture companies were critical to make the plan work.

Fauzi said the city would work toward clearing the path to making the 12-year plan work.

“It is far more complex than the existing nine-year compulsory education plan, and it will not just be a continuity of the existing plan,” Fauzi said.

He added that his team was researching the issue and was scheduled to discuss the matter with the Jakarta Education Council, which provides expert advice and recommendations to the administration in matters of education.

Fauzi said he believed that additional studies on the matter would provide the answer as to when was the best time to implement the plan and how much it would really cost the city.

“The condition of education in state schools [in Jakarta] is vastly different from other regions,” the governor said.