Wardiman slams media over strikes<\/p>\n
BOGOR, West Java (JP): Minister of Education and Culture
\nWardiman Djojonegoro yesterday blamed extensive media coverage
\nfor what he described as the growing "trend" of student strikes.<\/p>\n
"With such coverage by the media, especially television, such
\ntrends easily spread across the country," he said after opening
\nthe 34th meeting of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for
\nTropical Biology here. The four-day meeting is being attended by
\nrepresentatives from nine countries including Malaysia, Brunei
\nand Cambodia.<\/p>\n
The ministry has identified a number of unwelcome trends in
\nthe field of education, he said, including the yearly tradition
\nof students autographing their friends' shirts with colorful pens
\nas an expression of merriment upon graduating.<\/p>\n
"Just wait, maybe tomorrow the students in Surabaya will take
\ntheir turn in striking," he said. He did not believe that
\nstudents launch strikes just because they have become more
\ncritical.<\/p>\n
"No, it's just a trend," he said. "Had they been critical,
\nthey wouldn't have voiced their demands at the same time they
\nwere holding the strike. People usually express demands before
\nstaging a strike."<\/p>\n
He condoned the involvement of security officers in handling
\nunruly strikers. "If the strikes disturb security and order, then
\nofficers should take action to maintain security. If not, I don't
\nthink it's necessary," he said.<\/p>\n
Last month, students at three Jakarta state senior high
\nschools refused to go to classes or do any learning activities in
\nprotest at a number of issues. Students from one school, for
\ninstance, accused their principal of embezzlement, while those
\nfrom another school staged a strike to demand lower tuition fees.
\n(31)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/wardiman-slams-media-over-strikes-1447893297",
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