Govt launches educational TV

JAKARTA: The government launched on Tuesday its second educational television station, Televisi Edukasi (TVE), which aims at educating students through on-air programs.

Minister of National Education Abdul Malik Fajar said the programs were expected to increase the quality of the country's education and learning processes.

As a pilot project, the government has cooperated with state- owned PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) and 10 local TV stations to make the programs available for 100 state and privately run schools across the country.

Because TVE uses satellite, each school needs to have a parabolic satellite and receiver to be able to view the programs.

The first educational television station, Televisi Pendidikan Indonesia (TPI) was launched in 1991, but went into commercial operations three years later allegedly due to loss. -- JP