BIS students 'teach' young inmates

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

While teaching prisoners how to sing a song, Nicole, 16, looked at each of the teenagers, who gazed at her eagerly, before telling them to try to sing together along with the guitars.

She then advised when the first guitar should begin and when the second should follow, as well as commanding vocals to stop or start.

"I feel great and I think they are all great. They definitely have talent. I think we should give them a chance to develop their talent. Although it is very tiring to teach, I am very satisfied to have the opportunity," Nicole told The Jakarta Post after the class.

Nicole, a twelfth grade student of the British International School (BIS) in Bintaro, Tangerang, was one of around 40 students from the school who visited the Children's and Juvenile Prison on Jl. Da'an Mogot, Tangerang, on Friday, to help teenagers there learn music, English and painting.

All of the 40 students, who were split into five classes, had a good time and were grateful for the opportunity to share their knowledge with the young prisoners.

In an English class, Janice and several of her friends were all smiles even though they struggled to explain several English words to the young prisoners, while the inmates tried hard to memorize new words.

To help convey the lesson, the students presented pictures of the human body and explained vocabulary for various body parts.

CAS coordinator of BIS Adrian Thirkell said he and his students have been visiting the prison every two weeks over the last several months to share knowledge with the prisoners.

"We know that none of the teenage prisoners passed the SMP or SMU English exams. We hope by helping them, they can pass. We are also here to help them with the process of rehabilitation. Hopefully, they will see that they are valued and that they can prepare themselves to have a second start once they leave the prison," he told the Post.

He said that along with the activities, BIS also brought the prisoners packages containing food and toiletries, writing implements, instant noodles and snacks.

One of the young prisoners, Hendi, 18, said that he and his friends were grateful that people still paid some attention to them.

"Besides improving our English and other skills, this kind of activity makes us feel appreciated as human beings," he told the Post.