Illiteracy still a major problem in Indramayu<\/p>\n
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Indramayu, West Java<\/p>\n
A recent survey by the local education office in Indramayu, West
\nJava, has found that the regency -- rich in rice and oil -- is
\nstill home to 70,787 illiterate residents between the ages of 10
\nand 44, an official said on Monday.<\/p>\n
Khariri, the head of the office's community education
\nsubdivision, said the number was significant although it only
\nrepresented a small proportion of the 1.6 million people aged
\nbetween 10 and 44 among the regency's 2.3 million inhabitants.<\/p>\n
He blamed poverty as the main reason for the problem. \"Most of
\nthose who are illiterate could not afford to go to school because
\nof financial difficulties,\" Khariri said on Monday.<\/p>\n
He also blamed the problem on other factors, such as the
\nuneven spread of schools and teachers.<\/p>\n
In order to deal with the problem, the regency plans to run
\nspecial courses for the illiterate.<\/p>\n
\"Every year we want to teach 16,000 illiterate people to read.
\nWe hope that within the next five years, we will overcome the
\nproblem,\" said Indramayu Regent Irianto MS Syafiuddin, adding
\nthat the program would kick off early next year.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, around 104,000 out of 260,000 elementary school
\nstudents in Cirebon regency are forced to study in dilapidated
\nschools.<\/p>\n
According to the regency's own figures, 400 out of 925
\nelementary schools in its 31 districts are in poor shape.<\/p>\n
\"The buildings are in a very poor shape, no longer suitable to
\nbe used for teaching children,\" said Cirebon Regent Dedi Supardi,
\nadding that most of the buildings had been built in the 1970s.<\/p>\n
He said his administration lacked the money to build better
\nschools, but promised to carry out emergency repairs to alleviate
\nthe situation.<\/p>\n
\"We have set aside Rp 17 billion (US$1.7 million) to repair
\nthe schools,\" Dedi said, adding that the repair work would allow
\nthe schools to continue to be used for teaching.<\/p>\n
He said that the money for the repairs had been taken solely
\nfrom the regency budget, with nothing be provided out of the
\nstate or provincial budget.<\/p>\n
\"Each school will get Rp 86 million,\" he explained, adding
\nthat the money would be provided to around 200 elementary schools
\nduring the stage of the plan.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/illiteracy-still-a-major-problem-in-indramayu-1447893297",
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