Int'l school for the blind

Int'l school for the blind

JAKARTA (JP): The Merpati Putih pencak silat school will open an international school for the blind in Cibubur, South Jakarta, in September.

The international school will offer an 18-month course. In the first six months students will learn how to walk as normal people do. In the next six months, they will learn how to identify common objects. Finally they will learn how to identify colors, shapes and characters.

The students will be taught all these skills using pencak silat breathing exercises. "The final objective is to enable them to read a computer monitor," teacher Budi Santoso said during the school's 32nd anniversary celebration yesterday.

In setting up the school, Merpati Putih will cooperate with the LIA Foundation, which will provide the school's premises and facilities. (arf)