Bulldozer destroys elementary schools

PURWAKARTA, West Java: Hundreds of elementary students in Cianting village in the West Java regency of Purwakarta have been forced to hold their classes in a local resident's house since their school building was destroyed by a bulldozer owned by a sand-mining company.

Dedi Etendi, a staff member of the local education office, regretted the authorities' move to allow the private company to bulldoze the school building for business interests.

"Both the local administration and the company have no conscience and they are blind to the students' interests," he said.

The company was allowed to demolish the school building to mine sand in the school area after agreeing to build a new school building in a safe area far from the village.

Euis, a parent of one of the students, regretted the demolition, saying the demolition should have been conducted after the new building was already built. --Antara