Aceh students find scholastic help<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi and Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta\/Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
For university students in Aceh, the tsunami disaster did not
\nonly take away the lives of their families, but also their
\nfuture, as they might have to give up their studies.<\/p>\n
Banda Aceh's Syah Kuala State University (Unsyah), for
\nexample, was severely damaged after the massive earthquake and
\ntidal waves struck on Dec. 26. Classes and all other scholastic
\nactivities have been suspended indefinitely.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, other Acehnese students studying outside the
\nprovince may not be able to continue their studies because of the
\nfinancial impact of the disaster.<\/p>\n
The public relations officer of the University of Indonesia in
\nDepok, Farida Haryoko, told The Jakarta Post that the institute
\nhad 70 students from Aceh, 30 of who had most likely lost their
\nparents -- perhaps their entire extended families -- in the
\ndisaster.<\/p>\n
"We are still gathering information on our students (from
\nAceh). Last week, we flew 10 Acehnese students to their hometowns
\nso they could try and find out what happened to their families,"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
The national university has decided to waive tuition for those
\nAcehnese students who had lost their parents.<\/p>\n
"We are also discussing the possibility of providing them with
\nliving allowances," said Farida.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) is
\nconsidering the possibility of accepting agriculture students
\nfrom Unsyah.<\/p>\n
IPB Second Vice Rector Herry Suhardiyanto learned after
\nvisiting Aceh that about 18 lecturers of Unsyah's Department of
\nAgriculture were among the missing.<\/p>\n
However, he said IPB would not be able to accept all Unsyah
\nstudents. "We can only help those students who are majoring in
\nsubjects related to agriculture," said Herry.<\/p>\n
IPB will also waive tuition and other fees for Acehnese
\nstudents whose parents were either killed or in refugee camps, as
\nwell as provide a Rp 250,000 (US$28) monthly allowance until they
\ngraduate. In addition, the institute will provide Rp 500,000 in
\nbereavement money to each student who lost family, and Rp 3
\nmillion to the families of IPB students who were killed.<\/p>\n
To accommodate Unsyah students, the IPB and other universities
\nin Bogor are working to provide them rooms in boarding houses or
\nto identify lecturers and foster parents who would take in
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
Sebelas Maret University (UNS) in Surakarta, Central Java, has
\nalso decided to waive tuition and fees for its 17 Acehnese
\nstudents, said UNS rector M. Syamsulhadi.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Yogyakarta administration has distributed Rp
\n1.22 billion in support of the 1,500 Acehnese students who were
\nstudying at local universities.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aceh-students-find-scholastic-help-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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