Bridge to be taught at selected schools

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Students at selected schools in Jakarta will have another extracurricular activity to choose from when a plan to introduce the game of bridge to a younger generation comes into effect soon.

The Indonesian Contract Bridge Association (Gabsi) is working on a plan to bring bridge to schools throughout the country, with Jakarta being the host of a pilot project before the scheme branches out to other cities and towns.

The plan is being launched in line with efforts to groom young players to be ready to appear at international tournaments when the old guards call it a day.

"We expect to begin the program in June at four junior high schools and four senior high schools, with the number of participants expected at 400," Bert Toar Polii, a Gabsi official, told The Jakarta Post here on Wednesday.

The schools to take part in the program have yet to be named.

Bridge is one of the rare sports that Indonesia deserves recognition in, given its international achievement to date.

A cautious education observer, while refusing to reveal his stance on whether he agrees with the plan, said that teaching bridge at schools could sharpen students' math skills.

"The program should be accompanied with well-planned guidance, otherwise it just becomes a waste of time. The students might end up just playing around with the cards," Mochtar Buchori, a legislator of the House of Representatives' Commission VI for human resources and religious affairs, said.

The idea of teaching bridge at schools as an extracurricular academic roster was first introduced during the Gabsi chairmanship of Wiranto. Despite gaining endorsement from the Ministry of National Education, the project fell through due to the lack of financial support.

The scheme was recently rejuvenated by Miranda Goeltom, who stepped into the organization's presidency in December after it was left vacant for three months following the withdrawal of Hatta Radjasa. Hatta filled the post for only a month.

Speaking further on the operational details of the program, Bert said the sport would be taught for an hour and half every week. The program incorporates six levels, each taking six months to complete.

"Upon completing all six levels in three years, the students should have skills equal to those of master holders," Bert said, adding that Gabsi would aim for signing up 6,000 students by the end of 2006.

Gabsi will have to finalize the proposal before it is submitted to the Ministry of Education. The proposal will be discussed at a meeting on Jan. 23.

After Jakarta, Gabsi will extend the bridge program to 10 cities for the 2004-2005 period, and is expected to involve 44 schools and 2,200 students.