A bowl of porridge makes school a little brighter

JAKARTA (JP): A bowl of green bean porridge is enough incentive to attend class, principals of elementary schools in South Jakarta said.

If a child was absent his or her mother would come and ask to collect the share, Ratih Wahyu, principal of SDN Manggarai 18 said.

Her students were among 1,300 from eight elementary schools in the poor districts of Manggarai and Pasar Manggis, South Jakarta, who enjoyed the porridge on Tuesday, provided by a French oil firm, Total Indonesie.

Another principal, Maryati of SDN Manggarai 12, said the children "are actually looking forward to the days when free snacks are delivered."

Sometimes students try to bring their share of snacks or milk home for younger siblings, she said.

The free snacks marked the start of Total's three-month program for poor students in the above areas. Dipnala Tamzil, the firm's vice president of human resource and communications, said Total "intends to support the government's school health program."

The program in Jakarta is one of a number of community development projects initiated by the company, which has operated here for 32 years. Urban programs were triggered by the economic crisis.

In view of the difficult times, "the Indonesian business community should extend help .. to the less fortunate urban population (hit by) the prolonged economic crisis," a press release from the firm said.

The students on Tuesday were all from afternoon classes in Manggarai and Pasar Manggis, which the City Social Development office has identified as those who are poorer than students in morning classes.

Ratih, one of the principals, said the students, who mostly live in shacks along the nearby Ciliwung river, usually miss school during flood periods. She added that parents often neglected their children's needs -- such as school fees, stationary and those related to health -- as they were busy working as carpenters, scavengers, or washing clothes.

Ratih said she has found her students working as buskers on trains passing the Manggarai station. These students told her the money was either spent on snacks or put away for savings.

She added that a food support program under the social safety net last year provided Rp 750 per student per day for nutritious snacks. The program, however, was irregular, ranging from twice to five times a week, she said, and its continuity over this school year was unclear.

Following the first months of the crisis in 1997, the public was alarmed by reports of children dying of malnutrition. The free nutritious snacks program under the nationwide safety net is a bid to address this problem.

Last year with the safety net funds, Ratih said, "we managed to supply various snacks, such as fried bananas, fried tempe and sometimes cheap pizza, but the students were not familiar with (pizza)."

Ratih said the snacks gave encouragement to the children "to study harder."

Desy, a 12-year old, said she had a daily allowance of Rp 500 from her mother, "but with the free snacks twice a week, I save the money for stationary such as pencils and books."

On the 10th of each month the students are expected to pay school fees of Rp 7,000, but on average only two students from a class of 20 are able to pay, said Ratih.

There are about 90 students in the elementary school, 25 of which are supported by foster parents.

Maryati said, "I hope other business communities will join similar efforts, perhaps in other ways such as supporting school fees and stationary supplies." (07)