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)