Free community schools help disadvantaged young people<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
More than 50 children ranging from 10 to 18 years old were
\nlistening attentively to their teachers on a quiet afternoon.<\/p>\n
Unlike regular students, they wore no uniforms and sat at ease
\non the terrace of a mosque behind the bus terminal in Depok, some
\none hour's drive from the capital.<\/p>\n
\"I found out about the school when I was still a street vendor
\nhere,\" said 16-year-old Sani, who dropped out of school after
\nfinishing elementary school. He is now preparing to take the
\nfinal junior high school exams.<\/p>\n
The free school was initiated by a businessman in 2002.<\/p>\n
\"It all started when I opened my food stall here and the
\nchildren who worked as street musicians and vendors started to
\ndrop by,\" said Nur Rohim, 35.<\/p>\n
Not prepared to rely on the government's \"education for all\"
\npromises, some individuals in local communities have started
\nschools for poor students and drop-outs.<\/p>\n
\"We want to provide the chance for those who are economically
\nmarginalized to have equal opportunities to develop themselves
\n(through education),\" said Moch. Firdaus, the co-founder of
\nYayasan Remaja Masa Depan, another free school occupying a house
\nin Gudang Peluru, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The area was chosen considering the large number of school
\ndropouts in neighboring Bukit Duri and Manggarai district.
\nCurrently, it educates some 200 students ranging from 13 to 18.<\/p>\n
In addition to providing free education to prepare students to
\nsit the national examinations, the school also provides
\nvocational training to third grade high school students.<\/p>\n
\"It adds to their skills and increases their chances of
\ngetting jobs,\" Firdaus explained, adding that most of the 100
\ngraduates to date had found employment.<\/p>\n
\"If we can't force the government to provide education for
\nall, we had better act on our own and set an example,\" Firdaus
\nexplained.<\/p>\n
Data from the 2002 social census shows that there are 250,000
\nschool-age dropouts in Jakarta, most of whom have been forced to
\nleave school for financial reasons.<\/p>\n
No action has been taken by the government to keep the
\nchildren on at school. It was just in June that the government
\nofficially announced the start of free nine-year compulsory
\neducation.<\/p>\n
For Nur Rohim and Firdaus, setting up a community school only
\nneeds a vacant space and some volunteers to start with.<\/p>\n
\"But, it requires consistency as we cannot stop once we start
\ngiving the children hope of being able to continue their
\neducation.<\/p>\n
\"We have to treat them differently as psychologically they
\nare different from normal children,\" said Nur Rohim, adding that
\nat first he had to \"bribe\" the children to attend classes.<\/p>\n
He explained that individuals or organizations having a
\nminimum of 15 children attending a school can have their community
\nschool recognized. \"However, it is more important that we really
\nprepare the children with the skills they need to be independent
\nrather than concentrating on mere school certificates.\"<\/p>\n
Rohim added that each area with a large number of school dropouts
\nshould have at least one free school. \"One in every station,
\nmarket and slum area,\" he said.<\/p>\n
I-box<\/p>\n
Selected free schools in Jakarta:<\/p>\n
1. Sanggar Akar Ciliwung in Bukit Duri, South Jakarta
\n2. Yayasan Remaja Masa Depan in Gudang Peluru, South Jakarta
\n3. Sekolah Ibu Kembar in Teluk Gong, North Jakarta
\n4. Teknik Informal School in Kampung Lio, Depok
\n5. Yayasan Bina Insan Mandiri in Depok Terminal
\n6. Informal School in Ciputat, Tangerang<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/free-community-schools-help-disadvantaged-young-people-1447893297",
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