Lecturer laments student apathy

Lecturer laments student apathy

BOGOR, West Java (JP): A university lecturer has criticized
Indonesia's students, saying that they generally tended to be
individualistic, apathetic and unaware of what is going on in
society.

"Many of today's college students only want to finish their
studies as soon as possible, and then secure jobs that can
support them financially, that's all. They do not have any great
sense of social solidarity with their environment," Rais Ahmad, a
deputy rector of Ibnu Khaldun University in Bogor, told The
Jakarta Post here yesterday.

The deputy rector made these remarks in connection the
graduation day for 201 students of the oldest private university
in Bogor on Tuesday.

He said yesterday that, as educated people, college students
were morally obliged to keep an eye on what is going on around
them.

"In the rapidly changing situation we are witnessing now,
college students must respond to changes before anybody else
does. In fact they should spearhead things, be in the thick of
it," Rais urged.

Rais acknowledged however that making students more sensitive
to events taking place in society was easier said than done.
"This is because it has a lot to do with one's moral attitude."
(21/bas)