AIDS campaign to become part of school curriculum

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia extended its AIDS campaign yesterday to schools in the hope of raising young people's awareness of the deadly virus and how they can curb its spread.

Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro said the HIV/AIDS campaign would be incorporated into the school's curriculum and extracurricular activities.

He said the campaign, which would include information about the virus and ways to prevent it, would target fifth graders in elementary schools upward to universities.

"The campaign is not sex education, but it gives information about the danger of HIV/AIDS. Many people do not know about it, so they should be informed," said Wardiman after launching the campaign at the Ministry of Education and Culture.

He said the AIDS campaign was aimed at increasing teenagers' awareness so that they would be able to protect themselves and avoid high-risk behavior such as promiscuity.

The launch of the program yesterday marked World AIDS Day. The minister is the chairman of this year's commemoration.

There were 39.6 million of students from elementary schools to universities across Indonesia, according to the 1996 statistics.

Indonesia began commemorating World AIDS Day last month by holding seminars.

In Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, hundreds of high schools and vocational school students signed their names on a giant banner placed at the governor's office yesterday in support of the HIV/AIDS campaign in the province, Antara reported yesterday.

They expressed their commitment to helping curb the spread of HIV/AIDS in their region after they attended a dialog with Governor La Ode Kaimoeddin yesterday.

The 100-meter long banner was later displayed in front of the governor's office.

Fatmawati, a 16-year-old student from SMU 2 high school of Kendari municipality, said that closing unregistered entertainment places such as discotheques and brothels, was one way of preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS.

She also suggested that seminars on HIV/AIDS and the religious approach would help inform the public.

Over the weekend, three ministers signed a first-day postage stamp and telephone card dedicated to the AIDS campaign in Bintaro, Tangerang regency, West Java.

State Minister of Population Haryono Suyono, Minister of Tourism and Telecommunications Joop Ave and Wardiman also signed an envelope containing President Soeharto's appeal for Indonesian families to strengthen their faith in order to build their "resistance" of adverse social elements.

Haryono said the resistance, based on religious and moral ethics, would be an effective tool in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. (09)

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