JAKARTA. KOMPAS – The unavailability of internet network makes it difficult for schools in local areas, in particular those outside of Java, to have access to electronic books or BSE at http//bse.depdik-nas.go.id, www.depdiknas.go.id, www.pusbuk.or.id, and www.si-bi.or.id. In the municipality of Barito Utara, Central Kalimantan, for instance, internet is only accessible around the areas of Muara Teweh, which is the capital city of the municipality. 

The local people also find difficulties if they have to come to commercial internet booths because the distance between remote schools in North Barito, for example in Lampeyong and Berangin, Kecamatan Teweh Timur, and Muara Teweh reaches 125 Kilometres.

“Without the assistance of computer installation that is connected to an internet network, we cannot yet predict when the students and teachers in remote areas are able to access these books through the net,” states the Head of Educational Office of North Barito Masdulhaq, Saturday (6/28).

Nur Taufik, an Informatics teacher at SMA Negeri 5 Samarinda, reports that one electronic school book is as large as 500 megabytes and can only be downloaded fully. As a result, the download process takes up a lot of time. He once downloaded a book with 623 megabytes and that needed 15 minutes using an up-to-dated computer.

"15 minutes is a long time, more so if you use a computer that is technologically out of date,” says Taufik.

The subject of a BSE should be able to be downloaded per chapter. Thus, students do not need to download other parts that are considered unimportant. The download time will also be quicker.

A similar complaint was also mentioned by teachers and principals in a number of areas. In the Kabupaten Ogan Ilir, South Sumatera, for example, there is no internet operator who supplies a rapid network.

Dealing with technical problems

Separately, the Department of National Education tries hard so that the community access to electronic school books widen and solve technical problems that make it difficult for the community to access those books.

"We are in the process of uploading and placing subjects on the servers in a number of areas so the central server at the Department of National Education is not overloaded,” says the Head of Centre of Communication Technology of The Department Of National Education.

This is expected to accelerate the download process of electronic books. In the first phase, the subjects will be uploaded to servers in five areas, namely Aceh, Jakarta, Yogyakarta Surabaya, and Makassar.

Besides, in Agustus 2008, the electronic school books will be launched by the President, as many as 295 titles in all. At the moment 49 titles are available.