Jakarta, Friday (May 16, 2008) -- The registration committee for the pre-selection of textbooks have received the registration of 3,500 volumes of books as of Friday afternoon (05/16/2008). The 1st registration period is open since Tuesday (05/13/2008). The books are submitted by their writers and/or publishers for a verification as a textbooks for elementary schools/Islamic elementary schools, junior high schools/Islamic junior high schools, senior high schools/Islamic senior high schools and vocational high schools.

Head of Books Quality Control Sub-section of the Book Center of the Ministry of National Education, Agung Indra Dewa, as the Coordinator of the Textbooks Pre-Selection Registration, said, 80 freelance writers and 80 publishers have register their books. "Books on all subjects have been registered, mostly for elementary and junior high schools," he said at the Office of Book Center, Jakarta, Friday (05/16/2008).

Agung explained the registration mechanism of the textbooks. All registrants, he said, is provided with serial number. Further, the books are selected consecutively by document assessors, physical assessors, and recording team in order to meet the administrative requirements. He said, some requirements of the registration for publishers is to submit the copy of the Book Publishing Business Permit and Taxpayer’s Identification Number.

Other requirements are to write a letter of ability to publish the textbook if the book is decided to be qualified by the Minister. (The letter shall be signed by the director of the company and duly stamped) "The writer shall make a letter of statement stating that if his book is qualified by the National Education Standard Board, he is willing to transfer the copyright of the book to the government," Agung said.

Agung said, any registrant who could not meet the administrative requirements would be given an opportunity for re-registration He added, another administrative requirement which should be met was the publisher shall make a letter stating its willingness that its books to be assessed by the National Education Standard Board.

Agung said, the first phase assessment would be done on May 26-30, 2008 by the learning and material team, while the 2nd assessment would be done on June 4-9, 2008 by teachers and graphic practitioners who had been qualified by the Board.

After the 2nd assessment, Agung said, the Board would announce the result of the assessment on the second week of June 2008. Further, the Board would send a recommendation to the Minister of National Education to issue the ministrial regulation on the feasibility of the textbooks.

Sixteen textbooks will be assessed in the 1st period, comprising Indonesian Language (for elementary schools/Islamic elementary schools, junior high schools/Islamic junior high schools, senior high schools/Islamic senior high schools and vocational high schools), Mathematics (for elementary schools/Islamic elementary schools, junior high schools/Islamic junior high schools, senior high schools/Islamic senior high schools and vocational high schools), Natural Science (for elementary schools/Islamic elementary schools, junior high schools/Islamic junior high schools), Social Science for elementary schools/Islamic elementary schools, junior high schools/Islamic junior high schools), Citizenship (elementary schools/Islamic elementary schools), and English (elementary schools/Islamic elementary schools, junior high schools/Islamic junior high schools, senior high schools/Islamic senior high schools and vocational high schools).

Meanwhile, in the 2nd period, five (5) textbooks will be assessed namely, Music (for elementary schools/Islamic elementary schools, junior high schools/Islamic junior high schools), Physical Education, Sport and Hygiene (for elementary schools/Islamic elementary schools, junior high schools/Islamic junior high schools), and Information and Communication Technology (junior high schools/Islamic junior high schools). The 2nd phase registration period will be open on September 23-26, 2008 at the Book Center of the Ministry of National Education, 7th Floor, Jalan Gunung Sahari Raya No. 4, Jakarta Pusat.***