GARUT, West Java: Garut regency has procured a four-hectare

GARUT, West Java: Garut regency has procured a four-hectare plot in Selagedang village, Kadungora, where elementary, junior and senior high schools of international standard are to be built.

Regent Agus Supriadi said after touring the location over the weekend that the local administration had allocated a large amount of funds to recruit qualified teaching staff and purchase laboratory equipment to support learning activities at the schools.

"We should be proud of the school project and hope that more schools of such quality will be built in the future to improve the quality of human resources in the regency," he said, adding that all classes in the schools would be held in English.

He said it was expected that the schools would start operation in 2006. -- Antara

W. Irian Jaya deserves special autonomy

MANOKWARI, West Irian Jaya: A noted politician said on Saturday that West Irian Jaya province should be granted special autonomy.

Former regional autonomy minister Ryaas Rasyid said here over the weekend that there was no legal reason for the government to delay granting special autonomy to the province since it, along with soon-to-be Central Irian Jaya province, was part of Papua even though legislation was passed in 1999 to split Papua into three provinces.

Ryaas was here to install the functionaries of his political party in the new province.

West Irian Jaya was inaugurated in 2002, while the officiating of Central Irian Jaya has been suspended following violent public rejection last August.

Ryaas said the law was contrary to Law. 21/2001 on special autonomy for Papua, a case the Constitutional Court is reviewing. (--JP)