Security tightened as students revel<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Many police and military officers were deployed
\nto prevent incidents arising when high school students, who were
\ncelebrating the end of their final school year, went wild on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
The officers were posted, among other locations, near the
\nschools on Jl. Budi Utomo in Lapangan Banteng, Central Jakarta,
\nbecause students of the schools, who call themselves Boedoet
\nstudents, have a reputation for sparking brawls with students
\nfrom other schools.<\/p>\n
\"About 100 military and police officers were deployed in this
\narea after we were informed that the high schools' final
\nexamination results would be announced today,\" Sergeant Harnoto
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The celebration started with the students autographing their
\nfriends' shirts, but it turned into an egg-throwing melee.<\/p>\n
There are five high schools located on Jl. Budi Utomo: SMA 1
\n(high school), STM 1 (technical high school), STM 5, STM PGRI 4,
\nand STM PGRI 5.<\/p>\n
\"We collected three kilograms of eggs over the last few days
\ntogether with students of STM 1 because we share the same
\nbuilding,\" Fitrianingsih, a student of STM PGRI 4, said.<\/p>\n
\"I know that I will graduate, so why are we not allowed to
\nenjoy the fun? It only happens once in our lives,\" Fitrianingsih
\nadded.<\/p>\n
The students' white and gray uniforms turned into multicolored
\ncanvasses of pens and paint. Students took joy in inviting as
\nmany friends as possible to autograph their shirts for mementos.<\/p>\n
But their celebration changed into the spraying of paint all
\nover the students' bodies, hair and faces.<\/p>\n
Initially the Boedoet students gathered in small groups
\noutside the schools, but later they formed a large group and
\nstarted yelling and disrupting traffic. Some of them even threw
\nstones at cars, breaking a few car windows.<\/p>\n
Due to the worsening situation, police and military officers
\ndispersed the students and forced them to leave the area. Some of
\nthe students were forced into passing city buses, but others
\nmanaged to run away and hide in the nearby Istiqlal Mosque.<\/p>\n
\"All teachers of the schools have been here since 6.30 a.m. We
\njust do not want our students to be involved in any trouble,\"
\nsaid Rudolfo Purba, a teacher of STM 1. However the situation was
\nbeyond anything the teachers expected.<\/p>\n
\"To prevent clashes after the final exam announcement, we
\nmailed the announcement papers to the students' houses,\" Herman
\nHermawan, the vice headmaster of STM 5, said.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the students came personally to the schools to
\nlearn their examination results and to celebrate passing with
\ntheir friends.<\/p>\n
\"However, don't think only Boedoet students start brawls
\nbecause we also have some achievements that we are proud of. For
\nexample, many students from STM 5 are accepted into a number of
\ntop companies, including Astra, Unilever and Mazda,\" said Herman.<\/p>\n
Most students interviewed by the Post were quite sure they
\nwould graduate even though they were still waiting to receive the
\nresults mailed by the schools.<\/p>\n
\"I am sure that I will graduate even though I have not got the
\nannouncement letter yet,\" said Indra Nilahua, a student of STM 5.<\/p>\n
Other schools, including SMA 6 on Jl. Mahakam, Kebayoran Baru,
\nin South Jakarta, however, invited the students' parents to the
\nschool to pick up their children's results.<\/p>\n
\"We try to do this to prevent any chaos after the final exam
\nannouncement, like what happened last year. So this year, we
\ninvited the parents instead of the students to pick up the
\nresults. If this is successful, we will do this every year,\" said
\nSyahrial Gazhali, deputy headmaster of SMA 6.<\/p>\n
\"However, to prevent any unexpected turn of events, the
\nteachers asked 12 police and military officers to guard the
\nschool. The school also forbade the students from entering the
\nschool,\" said Bachtiar Gade, one of the parents.<\/p>\n
Each year over 420,000 students apply to the 49-state run
\nuniversities and colleges throughout the country.<\/p>\n
Only 14.5 percent, just over 61,000 students, will be admitted
\nwhile the rest must be satisfied with ending their education or
\nentering more costly private institutions. (31)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/security-tightened-as-students-revel-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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