Budi Utomo students protest school policies<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About 100 students of state senior high school
\n(SMAN) 1 on Jl. Budi Utomo in Central Jakarta staged a
\ndemonstration yesterday to protest the school's policies.<\/p>\n
During the noisy protest which occurred during the celebration
\nof the school's 50th anniversary yesterday, the students urged
\nthe school principal to revoke the policies and to step down from
\nhis post.<\/p>\n
\"This school is poorly managed,\" one student yelled.<\/p>\n
\"Where is our freedom,\" another one shouted. \"Soedarno,
\nSuhaman step down from your posts.\"<\/p>\n
Soedarno is the school's principal and Suhaman is the
\nprincipal's deputy for student affairs.<\/p>\n
The students said that under the men's leadership, which began
\nin May 1995, many policies have restricted the student's extra
\ncurricular activities.<\/p>\n
The school limited activity time to two hours, from 2:00 p.m.
\nto 4:00 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, a student from third
\nyear class told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The students argued that Saturday and Sunday is the
\nappropriate time for sports, singing and cultural performances.<\/p>\n
\"But no activities are allowed to be held on Saturday and
\nSunday,\" the student said.<\/p>\n
The students also protested the principal canceling
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
\"For example, the principal disbanded the school's choir just
\nthree days before a competition,\" a former choir member said.<\/p>\n
A group of police officers dispersed the protesters after some
\nof the students met with the principal.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Suhaman told the Post that the school issued a set
\nof policies to improve the performances of the students.<\/p>\n
\"In general their performance has been declining in the past
\nfew years,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Only 40 of the 528 third year students were accepted at state
\nuniversities last year, Suhaman said.<\/p>\n
In 1975 more than 50 percent of the school's graduates were
\naccepted by various state universities.<\/p>\n
The Budi Utomo high school currently has 1462 students and is
\none of the best state schools in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Many public figures, including Jakarta Governor Surjadi
\nSoedirdja, Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo, former
\nminister Emil Salim and President Soeharto's children Sigit,
\nBambang, Siti Hardiyanti and Siti Hediati attended the school.
\n(01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/budi-utomo-students-protest-school-policies-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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