City eyes philanthropists' schools

City eyes philanthropists' schools

Damar Harsanto, Jakarta

Governor Sutiyoso said on Thursday that the administration would
help build better schools for over a 1,500 poor children who are
currently studying at schools established by twin sisters, Rossi
and Rian, also known as the Kartini Emergency Schools (SDK).

"I have allowed them (Rossi and Rian) to coordinate with the
relevant municipalities, including the Offices of Social Affairs
to look for new locations for their schools," Sutiyoso announced
to the public at City Hall after meeting with the two
philanthropists.

Sutiyoso said the administration would build "modest schools",
with better conditions than their current makeshift classrooms.

The Jakarta Elementary Education Agency head Gito Utomo
Purnomo said the related city agencies led by the Jakarta Public
Welfare Agency head, Rohana Manggala, would first check the
validity of the reports made by Rossi and Rian.

"They claim to have five schools across the city. We will
first ask them to submit the data on poor children attending
those schools," said Gito.

Gito also suggested that the two establish a foundation to
manage the schools in order to obtain official status as a
special private school from the administration.

Rossi and Rian believe that establishing an official
government-recognized foundation for the schools would be
counterproductive.

"We don't need any foundation to control the school. Running
such a special school for squatters' children who stay under
bridges requires special and personal treatment, different from
the kind of services provided by (state) institutions,
foundations or non-governmental organizations," Rossi said.

Rossi said that poor children who live under bridges, for
instance, could only interact with teachers who are familiar with
their situation.

"Sending in teachers from outside their community would only
spell trouble since they would find it difficult to conform to
the way of thinking of those children. Besides, I am afraid that
those teachers will ask for salaries for their services," she
said, adding that they relied on volunteer teachers with similar
philanthropic motives at the schools.

According to Rossi, there are around 1,600 children studying
at the six schools, all of which are located in North Jakarta.
The schools are situated on Jl. Lodan Raya in Ancol; at Rawa
Bebek under the Gedong Panjang toll road; at a site under Pluit
III toll road; at a site near the Angke rail line; under Grogol
toll road in Jelambar and on Jl. Pulo Asem Raya, Pulomas
district.