'I want to play all the time with my friends'

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Children across the archipelago took part in celebrations for National Children's Day on Tuesday. The country, still in the grip of an ongoing economic crisis, is home to about 60 million children under 15 years old. Several children shared their opinions on issues that were important to them with The Jakarta Post.

Detta Rania, 7, is in first grade at an elementary school in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. She was born here and now lives in the Setiabudi area of South Jakarta.

"I want to play with my friends all the time. My school is O.K. because I can meet my friends there and play with them. But I don't like homework. It's annoying, and my mom always tells me I can't play with my friends if I haven't finished it yet.

"My mom hired a tutor to teach me after school at home. She comes to my home three times a week. I am busy because I also joined a mathematics class that meets once a week.

"That's why I love playing with my friends. I know about National Children's Day, but I don't care about it. I enjoyed the ceremony at school, and I'm happy we didn't have to study the full day."

Indah Fulaisari, 11, is a student at St. Maria Fatima elementary school in Jatinegara. She is in the sixth grade and lives in Rawabunga, East Jakarta.

"Yes, I know that today is National Children's Day. It was written in the school book. But there were no special programs at school to celebrate it.

"What do I want right now? I want to have good teachers at school. They should be patient with students and help us understand what they are trying to teach us. I think the teachers I have now are pretty good.

"I also want to have a cellular phone. It's a trend at school. I want to have one like all the other students. That's all I want."

Endrik, 9, a street child, who does not exactly know where he lives. He can usually be found near the Senen intersection. He is in the second grade at an elementary school in Kramat and lives with his only brother, who works as a scavenger. His parents are divorced and they abandoned the two children. He finances his education by begging.

"What? The celebration of National Children's Day? What is that? I don't know about it. What is it for?

"Well, I just want to continue my education. It's not easy to finance my education when I earn only Rp 10,000 to Rp 15,000 a day. I have to save money by cutting back on eating as food prices here are so high.

"I'm thinking about how I can pay my school fees next month, which will be about Rp 11,500.

"I just hope that I can put together enough money to pay for my education and meals. I don't want to have to run in fear of the city public order men, who have chased me and my friends on the street many times. I'm scared of them."