Holiday changes

Holiday changes will cause problems

From Kompas

As a teacher, I find it difficult to understand the rationale behind the government's decision to shift religious holidays to other days closer to weekends on the grounds that this will prevent absenteeism when a religious holy day happens to be in the middle of the week. This decision is tantamount to allowing the observation of a religious holy day to give way to laziness.

I believe this decision will only corrupt the young generations and ruin the importance of observing a religious holy day. They have been taught that a religious holy day is made a holiday to allow those professing this religion to observe this holy day properly. Besides, certain religious holy days are fixed in that they are the result of a certain historical calculation.

This decision will show our young generation that it is possible to be inconsistent with something of great importance. Or, in other words, they will be taught to opt only for something comfortable to their lives, even at the expense of a principle.

In my opinion, this decision will adversely affect the psychological development of our young generation.

D. WAHYUNINGSIH

Cilacap, Central Java