Millions of students may quit school<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): About eight million elementary and
\njunior high school students across the country may have to drop
\nout of school of because of the prolonged economic crisis.<\/p>\n
Hidayat Syarief, deputy chairman of the National Development
\nPlanning Board, said the latest prediction was much higher than
\nthe first estimate of \"only\" 2.8 million made in the early months
\nof the crisis last year.<\/p>\n
He said the prolonged economic crisis was also expected to
\ncause an increase in the infant mortality and maternal mortality
\nrates and increase malnutrition among children in the future.<\/p>\n
\"Because of the economic crisis, more and more children are
\nexpected to drop out of school, suffer malnutrition and various
\ndiseases, which will put their lives at risk. And this condition
\nwill certainly affect the quality of Indonesian human resources
\nin the future,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added that many parents in rural areas will also be forced
\nto remove their children from school because the children would
\nbe needed to help supplement the family's dwindling income.<\/p>\n
According to him, the government and the public should adopt a
\nsense of crisis and take immediate action to prevent a high
\ndropout rate.<\/p>\n
\"Seen from the human resources point of view, a social
\nsecurity program is needed to assist those facing economic
\ndanger,\" he said at a seminar at the Bogor Institute of
\nAgriculture yesterday.<\/p>\n
The government recently increased the minimum working age to
\n15 from 10 in an endeavor to make the nine-year compulsory school
\nprogram a success and to send about two million child laborers to
\nschool under the National Foster Parents Movement.<\/p>\n
Hidayat called on all parties to help whenever possible during
\ntimes of difficulty.<\/p>\n
\"We should go back to a simple way of life and strengthen our
\nnational solidarity in maintaining family resilience and national
\nunity,\" he said. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/millions-of-students-may-quit-school-1447893297",
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