Gabsi set to have bridge taught at schools

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The game of bridge has moved a step closer to being taught at schools as the Indonesian Contract Bridge Association (Gabsi) announced here on Monday that talks were underway with the schools administrations.

"We met with officials from 50 High Schools (SMU) in Jakarta last week and another round of talks with junior high schools (SMP) is set for next week," Ekawahyu Kasih, a Gabsi chief in charge of development, said.

"They are enthusiastic about the program. We are looking to establish a timetable for bridge as an extracurricular activity for the students, after which we will sign an agreement with the selected schools," he said.

"Hopefully, the bridge program can begin this August. We expect a once per week 45 to 90 minute session," he said.

He added that Gabsi had prepared the teaching model adopted by that taught in the United States and some European countries.

"In France, bridge is taught at some elementary schools," he said.

The campaign aims to promote bridge nationwide in a bid to groom new bridge talent with a far-reaching view to ensuring Indonesian competitiveness at the international level.

Gabsi, then chaired by Gen. (ret) Wiranto, proposed the program in 1999 but it was canceled due to the discouraging economic condition.

Now with the new organizational board under the leadership of Miranda Goeltom, Gabsi has rejuvenated the campaign this year with nine cities and towns becoming the priority: Jakarta, Bandung in West Java, Semarang in Central Java, Surabaya in East Java, Mataram in West Nusa Tenggara, Bali, Manado in North Sulawesi, Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan and Palembang in South Sumatra.

However, Ekawahyu said the program outside Jakarta would have to undergo a coordinating phase with local bridge bodies.

According to Ekawahyu, Indonesia is currently home to 5,000 players, which is about 0.0025 percent of Indonesia's 210 million population, while the world ratio is about 0.14 percent.