TEMPO Interactive, Kupang:A school principal in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) was surprised at the government policy of stopping international standard schools (RSBI). Almost all schools in that region did not have RSBI permit. "Public awareness of the central government [of such schools] was lacking, so the RSBI was suddenly dropped," said Principal of SMAN 4 (state-owned senior high school) Kupang, Rachel Tallo, to Tempo in Kupang, Tuesday, June 19, 2012. It is hard for schools in NTT to achieve an international standard, since they have to meet the standards set by the central government. Especially because the struggle to enable a school become an RSBI school should be made in Jakarta. "I can't talk any more because a great deal of money is needed. Because the school should fight for it on its own in Jakarta," he said. As for the budget for financially poor students, Rachel said his school had great difficulties fulfilling the 20 percent quotas for poor students' education because of the limited budget. The school received only the budget allocation from the technical [education] service. "We don't know if the budget allocation already fulfills the 20 percent quotas for poor students, since we simply manage the funds being allocated," he said. Meanwhile, Head of Youth and Sports (PPO) Service, Klemens Meba, confirmed the revocation of the permit for RSBI schools because they are considered uneducative, that is, there is different funding for such schools. "All RSBI [schools] have been closed," he said. According to Klemens, only one school had so far obtained the RSBI permit, namely the SMAN 3 (state-owned senior high school) Kupang. Other schools had no such permit yet and are still of national standard. He said no schools sought to turn themselves into international standard schools since it was very difficult to meet the RSBI criteria, such as the standards for contents, level of exam passing, facilities and infrastructure, evaluation, funding, etc. YOHANES SEO