Military school focuses on sociopolitical sciences

JAKARTA (JP): The Military Academy (Akabri), the country's only school for prospective Armed Forces leaders, is continually innovating its educational system to keep up with military technology and global challenges, the academy's commandant general said yesterday.

Maj. Gen. Purwantono, commandant general of the Magelang- based academy, said: "We evaluate and adjust the academy's education system annually,"

In an interview with The Jakarta Post, in relation to the Armed Forces' 51th anniversary that falls today, Purwantono said that 40 percent of the academy curriculum dealt with non-military sciences.

"Now that the Armed Forces' role in sociopolitical affairs is increasing, we give high priority to subjects on social and political sciences," he said.

The academy applies strict discipline to maintain the good quality of its graduates. It would not hesitate to expel cadets found violating rules during their education, he said.

Last year, the academy dishonorably discharged 11 first-and second-year cadets for falsifying their final exam scores when they enrolled at the academy. They included nine cadet sergeant majors and two cadet corporals.

A year earlier the academy expelled 13 cadets for the same offense.

Purwantono denied allegations that bribery was common during enrollments. He said that cases of bribery usually involved outsiders acting as brokers, who had nothing to do with the enrollment committee.

"Parents have to keep in mind that it would be useless to bribe a committee member because screening involves a lot of officials in many test stages," he said.

"Anyone wanting to bribe would have to have an unbelievably large sum of money, while there is no guarantee that the candidate would be admitted," he said.

Nor would academy officials consider personal notes from senior officers wanting their relatives admitted to the school, Purwantono said.

However, there were some senior military officials who had the prerogative to ask that certain applicants be admitted. They are the Armed Forces Commander and the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and police.

"The senior officials will have to make sure that their candidates have all the qualifications required by the academy," Purwantono said.

To gain a better understanding and knowledge of military technology and education systems in other countries, the academy has sent some cadets to foreign military academies to take part in cadet exchange programs.

The countries with exchange programs include the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia.

"We are arranging an exchange program with Turkey," he said. (imn)