230 elementary school buildings need renovation<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): At least 230 of the 2,593 public elementary
\nschool buildings in Jakarta are in disrepair and need renovating,
\nan official said yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"The 230 buildings are mostly in a shabby condition because of
\na lack of maintenance or due to being old,\" said an official, who
\nasked for anonymity.<\/p>\n
The real figure could be higher as many public school
\nprincipals have not reported their buildings' condition to the
\nrelated responsible parties, such as the mayoralties.<\/p>\n
Fifty-two elementary schools were renovated last year after
\nall the mayoralties were given special budgets for school
\nrenovation programs.<\/p>\n
The official admitted that many renovation programs had been
\ndelayed due to a lack of funding.<\/p>\n
\"But we are trying our best to help these schools because we
\ndon't want the pupils' learning process to be disturbed by their
\ndamaged schools,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Schools with major damage are given priority, he said.<\/p>\n
\"But it does not mean that the city will ignore others with
\nminor damage,\" he stressed, refusing to elaborate on the amount
\nof money used to renovate the schools.<\/p>\n
\"Ask the mayors. It's in each of their education budgets,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The official made the remarks in response to the delay in the
\nrenovation of a severely damaged public elementary school in Pulo
\nGebang, East Jakarta. The school -- SDN 01\/16 East Jakarta -- was
\nsupposed to have been renovated three years ago.<\/p>\n
But without any clear reasons, the East Jakarta Mayoralty
\ndelayed the renovation project despite a survey by city's
\nbuildings supervision office.<\/p>\n
Some reports said East Jakarta Mayor Sudarsono delayed the
\nplan because he thought the school's principal was lazy in regard
\nto maintaining the school.<\/p>\n
The mayor said he was now waiting for the school principal \"to
\nchange his attitude\". \"If the headmaster acts diligently, the
\nschool will be renovated in the 1998\/1999 fiscal year,\" Sudarsono
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The principal of SDN 01\/16, Achmad Sudama, said that he was
\ntrying his best to keep the school as clean as possible despite
\nthe deteriorating buildings.<\/p>\n
\"I'm embarrassed because I have told the parents that this
\nschool will be renovated soon. But there's been no answer from
\nthe mayoralty over this matter,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Pupils' parents have repeatedly expressed concern over the
\nbuildings' condition.<\/p>\n
\"How can our children learn peacefully if there is no secure
\nfeeling? The bricks might fall at anytime. We don't want our
\nchildren to get hurt,\" Aminah, a pupil's mother, said.<\/p>\n
Aminah said she hoped the city administration would pay more
\nattention to the school.<\/p>\n
\"It's for the sake of our children. Don't give ridiculous
\nreasons to avoid doing what is really needed.\"<\/p>\n
City Councilor Soeparmo, the head of Commission E for welfare
\naffairs, told The Jakarta Post that the renovation must be
\nundertaken soon.<\/p>\n
\"The mayor's reason to delay the renovation is absurd. What is
\nhe thinking about? He should have checked the school himself so
\nhe knows that the building needs to be fixed soon.<\/p>\n
\"I strongly suggest the mayoralty renovates the school because
\nthe students' future is at stake here,\" Soeparmo said.<\/p>\n
Prawoto Danumihardjo, the city's assistant for economic and
\ndevelopment affairs, said he would soon check on the matter.<\/p>\n
\"I believe the proposal for the renovation has been received
\nby the municipality. But if for some reason the project is
\ndelayed, it's probably because of the lack of funding due to the
\nmonetary crisis, nothing else,\" he said. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/230-elementary-school-buildings-need-renovation-1447893297",
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