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)