Student given aid after push-up punishment over unpaid tuition

Depok secretary Hardiono said the administration would pay off a Bina Mujtama Integrated Islamic Elementary School student’s unpaid school fees, which was 10 months in arrears. FILE PHOTO via The Jakarta Post

JAKARTA — The Depok administration in West Java has pledged to provide financial aid to a Bogor elementary school student who was allegedly forced to do 100 push-ups as a punishment for unpaid tuition.

Depok secretary Hardiono said the administration would pay off the Bina Mujtama Integrated Islamic Elementary School student’s unpaid school fees, which was 10 months in arrears.

“Depok mayor [Mohammad Idris] will pay off the school fees and has recommended that the student be moved to a school in Depok,” Hardiono said on Tuesday after visiting the student’s house in Depok, as reported by kompas.com. The Bina Mujtama school is located in Bogor.

The student’s parents reportedly failed to pay her school fees because of financial constraints. She conceded to being punished by the school principal, who she claimed made her do 100 push-ups to force her parents to come to the school and pay the tuition.

The student was reportedly traumatized from the incident and had refused to step out of her house and socialize.

To help her recover from her trauma, Hardiono said, the administration would work together with the Child Protection and Society and Family Empowerment Agency (DPAPMK) to assist the student.

Bina Mujtama claimed that the student was only asked to do 10 push-ups.

The school said it had called her parents several times, as they had consistently failed to show up to school.