Govt to speed up completion of BSD toll road project<\/p>\n
TANGERANG (JP): The government has pledged to speed up the
\ncompletion of a toll road project in Jakarta to Bumi Serpong
\nDamai (BSD) housing complex in a bid to further develop the area,
\nin which there are an increasing number of foreign investments, a
\nminister said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
State Minister of Research and Technology\/Chairman of the
\nAgency for the Assessment and Application of Technology Zuhal
\nmade the statement in his speech at the opening of the Deutsche
\nInternationale Schule in Bumi Serpong Damai housing complex.<\/p>\n
\"I will discuss the possibility of continuing the second part
\nof the project with Minister of Public Works Rachmadi B.
\nSumadhijo,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He explained that the first part of the 13.1-kilometer toll
\nroad, which connects Serpong and Pondok Aren in South Jakarta,
\nopened last month.<\/p>\n
The second part, from Pondok Aren to Ulujami, was originally
\nto be built by PT Jasa Marga, a state-owned highway corporation,
\nbut it has practically ground to a halt due to the economic
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
As the government is concentrating on the safety net program
\nto help those severely affected by the crisis, Zuhal said he
\nwould possibly invite the private sector, including foreign
\ninvestors already operating in BSD, to invest in the construction
\nof the toll road.<\/p>\n
He reiterated that the toll road was essential to provide
\nbetter access to the BSD area, thereby accelerating development
\nthere.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, W. Hinners, the principal of the German
\nInternationale Schule, said the school started operating at its
\nnew address in BSD on Oct. 12.<\/p>\n
The school relocated from its two old locations on Jl. Sam
\nRatulangi, Central Jakarta, and Jl. Prapanca, South Jakarta,
\nbecause the sites were no longer conducive to supporting teaching
\nand learning activities.<\/p>\n
The school, which stands on a 4.7-hectare plot of land, is
\nequipped with two swimming pools, a soccer field and a sports
\nhall for basketball, handball and gymnastics.<\/p>\n
Hinners said the three-story school building, which has 270
\nstudents and 32 teachers, also has an auditorium and chemistry,
\nphysics and biology laboratories.<\/p>\n
\"The majority of the students (about 80 percent) are German,
\nbut we have Austrian, Swiss, American, Dutch and other
\nnationalities as well. The only prerequisite here is that the
\nstudents have to be able to speak and understand German in order
\nto follow the lessons,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that besides it being essential to be able to speak
\nGerman, students were also obliged to learn English, French and
\nIndonesian.<\/p>\n
\"We do teach Indonesian as a language from a very early age
\n(10 years). We instill an understanding of Indonesian arts and
\nculture through a special 'Landeskunde' program, classes that
\nconcentrate on Indonesian geography, culture and regional
\ndifferences,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Zuhal said he would also consult ministers related to the
\nmaking of education policies on the possibility of allowing
\nIndonesian students to study at international schools in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"We will discuss the policy which currently bans Indonesian
\nstudents from registering themselves to study at international
\nschools in the country,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Allowing local students to go to international schools will
\nenable them to easily continue their studies abroad, he said.
\n(hhr)<\/p>",
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