Govt may airlift cash-strapped students in Egypt<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government is weighing the possibility of
\nairlifting home many of the nearly 2,500 cash-strapped Indonesian
\nstudents studying in Egypt.<\/p>\n
The students have been hard hit by the monetary crisis
\nafflicting Indonesia, and without any immediate assistance in
\nsight there may be no recourse but to repatriate them.<\/p>\n
Foreign ministry officials could not say the exact number to
\nbe flown home but said that preparations were being made, if
\nneeded, to fly them all back to Jakarta by using the massive
\nairlift taking Indonesian Haj pilgrims home from Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Officials are projecting that the last three batches of
\npilgrims could stop over in Cairo on their way home to pick up
\nthe students.<\/p>\n
The homeward-bound airlift from the Haj is scheduled to begin
\nin mid-April.<\/p>\n
According to A. Ghani, director general for sociocultural
\nrelations and foreign information, there are 2,484 registered
\nstudents in Egypt, most of whom are studying religious affairs at
\nthe famed Al-Azhar university.<\/p>\n
Only 825 are on scholarships, Ghani said.<\/p>\n
He explained that those who would be returned were mostly
\nundergraduates while assistance would be sought for the few
\npostgraduates.<\/p>\n
According to officials here, the Indonesian students in Egypt
\nhave been the hardest hit compared to students studying in other
\ncountries because, unlike those studying in Europe and the United
\nStates, most of them come from low-income families.<\/p>\n
Furthermore it is also more difficult for these students to
\nobtain part-time employment.<\/p>\n
To anticipate the returning students, the government is also
\nplanning to allow as many as possible to enroll in the State
\nInstitute for Islamic Studies.<\/p>\n
Both the foreign ministry here and the Indonesian Embassy in
\nCairo have been quick to anticipate the basic needs of the
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's Ambassador to Cairo, Hassan Wirajuda, took the
\ninitiative of gathering seven tons of rice for the students and
\ncoordinated efforts with local authorities to assist the students
\nin their time of need.<\/p>\n
Egyptians have been generous in their assistance to the
\nstudents.<\/p>\n
The Crisis Management Team for Indonesian Students formed by
\nthe Embassy has received financial assistance from the community
\nincluding a check for 100,000 Egyptian pounds (US$30,000) from
\nthe Egyptian government.<\/p>\n
An Egyptian businessman has also donated five tons of rice.<\/p>\n
The Grand Shiekh of Al-Azhar, Mohamed Sayed Tantawi, in a
\nFriday sermon last month urged people to provide assistance to
\nthe Indonesian students.<\/p>\n
As reported by Antara from Cairo, lecturers at Al-Azhar have
\neven set aside a small portion of their salaries to help. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-may-airlift-cash-strapped-students-in-egypt-1447893297",
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