Child victims may return to school

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Thousands of children from poor families will be able to go to school this year under a government scholarship program, a local government official said Saturday.

Aceh education office head Syahbuddin A.R. said the government would provide education funds of Rp 700 billion for the province in 2003.

"It depends on the revenue sharing between central and provincial administrations from oil and gas. The funds will be distributed through scholarship programs to school committees in every regency," he said.

About 28,000 Achenese children are estimated to have dropped out of school. Most are from poor, rural families.

Syahbuddin said his office would also rebuild schools destroyed in the province's 26-year civil war. --Antara