75 percent of libraries in cities
JAKARTA: Up to 75 percent of libraries are located in urban areas, illustrating the widening education gulf between urban and rural areas, National Library development chairman Idris Kamah said here last week.
To narrow the education divide, the National Library proposes that the government develop more libraries in villages.
The National Library is drafting a national library system to account for the legal basis for the development of national libraries.
Meanwhile, National Library chairman Dady Rachmananta proposed that the government develop a curriculum that stimulates students' reading habits.
He said that, starting in junior high school, students should regularly be assigned to write a basic synopsis of books they read.
The National Library has been holding a seminar on ways to develop reading habits from Oct. 23 to Oct. 25. at Bogor Palace, West Java. -- JP
;JP;DJA; ANPAa..r.. Ambassador-post U.S. ambassador post to be filled JP/8/SCENE
Vacant U.S. ambassadorship to be filled
JAKARTA: Indonesia is in the process of appointing a new ambassador to the United States to fill the ambassadorship left vacant for the last two months, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Tuesday.
"We are processing the ambassador's appointment," Hassan said, adding that the process was expected to be completed next month.
"We are going to have a new ambassador before the vacancy reaches the three-month point," he said.
The ambassadorship in Washington was left vacant after the appointment of former ambassador Dorojatun Kuntjoro-jakti as coordinating minister for the economy in President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Cabinet in August.
Several names have been mentioned as possible candidates, including economist Srie Edi Swasono and current Indonesian Ambassador to Japan Sumadi Brotodiningrat.
When asked about these candidacies, Hassan said: "I am not denying or confirming them." -- JP
;JP;LEO; ANPACa..r.. Denpasar-Hindu-institute Integrated Hinduism campus JP/8/SCENE
Integrated Hindu campus
DENPASAR: The government will provide assistance worth Rp 5 billion (US$500,000) for the establishment of a new integrated campus for the Institute of Hindu Studies (STAHN), Denpasar, in Bangli Regency, Bali, an official said on Tuesday.
The director of STAHN Denpasar, I Made Titib, said that the new campus would be built on a 12.5-hectare site and represented an extension to the existing campus in Denpasar.
The government's willingness to provide assistance was announced at a meeting between Titib and the Director General of Hindu and Buddhist Affairs, Wayan Suarjaya, and the Minister of Religious Affairs, Said Agil Munawar, in Jakarta on Monday.
Titib said that the assistance was badly needed to help speed up the establishment of the new integrated campus, which was projected to cost about Rp 46 billion.
Bali Governor Dewa Beratha has reportedly allocated funds of Rp 4 billion for the development of one teaching-learning unit in Denpasar, while the Bangli administration has allocated another Rp 300 million for the first phase.
Titib said that the integrated campus was expected to become a Hindu development center which would also contribute to the development of arts and culture, as well as religion development. -- Antara