Al-Azhar school demolition canceled

Al-Azhar school demolition canceled

BOGOR (JP): Mayor Iswara Natanegara has revised his decision to demolish the Al-Azhar school in West Bogor by allowing the operator to continue enrolling students, commence its teaching program and also by providing help with obtaining the necessary building permits.

But the mayor disallowed the Mandala foundation, which runs the school, to continue construction of the two-story building until it obtained the required licenses, mayoralty spokesman Anas S. quoted Iswara as saying on Friday.

"Such an understanding given by the mayor shows his serious concern about education," Anas said.

The Bogor mayoralty office threatened earlier to demolish the newly constructed Islamic school on Jl. Sindang Barang in West Bogor, because there were no legal building permits for its existence.

"We repeatedly told the school operator to complete the necessary documents for the building. But they would not take our reminders seriously," said the head of the mayoralty's buildings supervision agency, Dody Rosadi.

He said authorities had warned the Mandala foundation of the infraction on several occasions, beginning from last September.

But Is Anwar, head of the Mandala foundation, said his office had never received any warnings from the mayoralty.

Construction on the 8,000-square meter school site began on Sept. 9 last year, at a cost of Rp 2 billion.

The foundation said 500 students had already enrolled at the school, which will comprise facilities for junior high school, senior high school, economics high school and technical high school students.

The mayoralty's initial plan to demolish the building, however, sparked protests from the public, including the head of the local office of the Ministry of Education and Culture.

"If the school stops operating, it would be a hindrance to the government program. We will be sorry if the school cannot accept new students," Akos KM, head of the local ministry office, said last Thursday.

Mayoralty spokesman Anas said with the help of the mayoralty administration office, building permits would be completed within one or two weeks.(24/bsr)