21,800 students join apprentice program

21,800 students join apprentice program

JAKARTA (JP): Deputy Governor for People's Welfare RS Museno
launched yesterday the latest round of a holiday apprenticeship
program for students.

Museno said the program was aimed at helping students spend
their holidays engaged in positive activities.

"This is our way of providing positive activities for students
during their holidays. They will learn how to work in various
companies or institutions," Museno said, in a ceremony which was
attended by about 2,000 students.

The great number of participants attested to the fact that
they were very enthusiastic about the program, he said.

Museno urged businessmen to support the program by allowing
the students to work in and learn from their companies.

This year students from elementary school to high-school are
taking part in the program, which has been running since 1989.

Head of the Jakarta office of the Education and Culture
Ministry, Kusnan Ismukanto, said the program would help improve
the students' ability to work in the "working world", as well as
expanding their knowledge and skills.

For this semester's holiday, from Feb. 20 to 25, 25,108
students applied for enrollment in the program but,
unfortunately, the program can only provide places to about
21,830 students. However, Kusnan guaranteed that the remaining
3,278 students would be given priority in the next program, which
will be held during the next school holiday, in July.

Kusnan said the number of participants this time was greater
than in October last year, when about 12,980 students had
participated.

"This time there are 53 private companies taking part in the
program, as well as state-owned companies and government
institutions, Kusnan said. (yns)