Compulsory Education Program Will Begin on May 2

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto will officially mark the beginning of the new nine year compulsory education program on May 2 at the Jakarta Hilton Convention Center.

The Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro reported the preparations for the launching of the program, which will be made in coincidence with National Education Day, to the President yesterday at the Bina Graha.

"President Soeharto will address the ceremony and communicate with governors, students and teachers from three provinces: Aceh, South Sulawesi and Irian Jaya through satellite," Wardiman told the press.

Wardiman said that the big obstacles to the program are the lack of buildings for junior high schools, books and the quality of teachers. "There are around 12.8 million students aged 13-15 years old, while there are only 6.8 million places to accommodate them," He said.

The government is only able to accommodate 400,000 of the other 6 million, either in new schools or additional classes.

Wardiman added that the results of the six year compulsory education program seem good. "In 1993, 94 percent (26.5 million) of children aged 7-12 years old studied in elementary school," he said.

He cautioned, however, that the success of a program can not be judged from numbers but from the quality, and the Ministry of Education and Culture will increase the quality of schools by providing more books, and upgrading teachers' skills.

Wardiman hoped the target of the program will be achieved in 10 years, five years quicker than set by President Soeharto, if the budget is enough. "In this sense we hope that people will participate so schools do not fully rely on the government," he said.

Delinquency

He said that more and more junior high schools will begin free during the new program.

"To educate is also the job of society, including parents, because the values taught in school do not mean anything when the society does not respect those values," he said in commenting on student brawls and vandalism.

He cited other reasons for juvenile delinquency. "According to sociologists, the other reasons are a lack of playgrounds, and family conditions," he said. Poverty is also thought to be a factor

He pointed to private boarding schools in Balige, Sibolga North Sumatra, and Magelang Central Java, created by people who are concerned about education of their area as place to produce high discipline and bright students. "Unfortunately those schools need big budgets and can not be copied by the government," Wardiman said.

Wardiman hoped that more businessmen will participate in education by building schools in their provinces so there will be more students from all over Indonesia who become successful.(01)