Budi Utomo students protest school policies
Budi Utomo students protest school policies
JAKARTA (JP): About 100 students of state senior high school (SMAN) 1 on Jl. Budi Utomo in Central Jakarta staged a demonstration yesterday to protest the school's policies.
During the noisy protest which occurred during the celebration of the school's 50th anniversary yesterday, the students urged the school principal to revoke the policies and to step down from his post.
"This school is poorly managed," one student yelled.
"Where is our freedom," another one shouted. "Soedarno, Suhaman step down from your posts."
Soedarno is the school's principal and Suhaman is the principal's deputy for student affairs.
The students said that under the men's leadership, which began in May 1995, many policies have restricted the student's extra curricular activities.
The school limited activity time to two hours, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, a student from third year class told The Jakarta Post.
The students argued that Saturday and Sunday is the appropriate time for sports, singing and cultural performances.
"But no activities are allowed to be held on Saturday and Sunday," the student said.
The students also protested the principal canceling activities.
"For example, the principal disbanded the school's choir just three days before a competition," a former choir member said.
A group of police officers dispersed the protesters after some of the students met with the principal.
Meanwhile, Suhaman told the Post that the school issued a set of policies to improve the performances of the students.
"In general their performance has been declining in the past few years," he said.
Only 40 of the 528 third year students were accepted at state universities last year, Suhaman said.
In 1975 more than 50 percent of the school's graduates were accepted by various state universities.
The Budi Utomo high school currently has 1462 students and is one of the best state schools in Jakarta.
Many public figures, including Jakarta Governor Surjadi Soedirdja, Minister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo, former minister Emil Salim and President Soeharto's children Sigit, Bambang, Siti Hardiyanti and Siti Hediati attended the school. (01)