'Military course' for students ends

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Military Chief Maj. Gen Sutiyoso officially closed yesterday a 10-day discipline and self improvement program for student delinquents.

Responding to wishes of some parents of the youths that the course should be prolonged, Sutiyoso said 10 days were enough to considerably improve the participants' behavior.

The course, which took place at the military headquarters in East Jakarta, ended on Wednesday.

The two-star general went on to say that the success of such a program does not depend on its duration, but its effectiveness in exhorting the youths to change their behavior.

A total of 310 juvenile delinquents from Jakarta took part in the program organized by various offices and the School of Psychology of University of Indonesia.

The program aims to help improve the behavior of juvenile delinquents among high school and technical high school students by instilling a high degree of military discipline in the students.

Juvenile delinquency, which has been a problem in Jakarta for some time now, has reached an alarming level of late. According to police records, between January and April this year some 13 students were killed in brawls.

Sutiyoso expressed the hope that participants of the program would become role models and influence friends to help maintain order and discipline at school. (25)