Finding a better solution

The government-run Public Administration Institute (STPDN) in Sumedang district in Indonesia's West Java province, has been widely criticized following the controversial death of student, Wahyu Hidayat, last Sept. 2 after he was allegedly beaten by seniors at the institute.

Besides Wahyu, the institute has a dark history of the controversial deaths of Eri Rakhman in 2000 and Aliyan bin Jerani in 1993.

Many people have condemned the institute for its military style of education. Critics have thus asked the government to close it.

This daily has suggested that leaders and lecturers of the institute should be held responsible for the death of the students as it is impossible for them not to know about the crimes.

Closing the institute would not be the right decision as the school was set up not to kill people but to create leaders.

It would thus be better to replace the institute's educational system and fire instructors.

The death of Wahyu Hidayat should be the last such case in STPDN.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta