Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Encourages Students to Cycle to School

Semarang (ANTARA) - The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen), Abdul Mu’ti, is encouraging students to cycle to school as a way to foster a healthy lifestyle while also saving energy. “We are currently in the process of following up on the President’s directive regarding ASRI schools—those that are safe, healthy, clean, and beautiful,” he said in Salatiga, Central Java, on Monday. He made these remarks while inaugurating SMA Saintek Ahmad Dahlan in Salatiga, along with the revitalisation of 17 educational units across the city. According to him, ASRI schools should begin on a small scale by instilling awareness in students to love the environment, conserve energy, and adopt healthy habits. He stated that the cycling-to-school initiative and bicycle distribution are aimed at getting students accustomed to commuting by “gowes” (cycling). “This also serves as a call to parents to allow our mature children the opportunity to go to school on their own, without needing to be driven,” he added. Moreover, he noted that parents driving children to school in cars contributes to traffic congestion and high air pollution in Indonesia. The Minister even hopes that the newly inaugurated SMA Saintek Ahmad Dahlan in Salatiga will avoid using air conditioning (AC) to be more environmentally friendly. Meanwhile, the Principal of SMA Saintek Ahmad Dahlan Salatiga, Sutomo, is ready to implement the Minister’s encouragement for students to cycle to school. “We will also follow the government’s programme on how to ensure children live healthily, so cycling will be started, and Insha Allah, the principal is ready to begin using a bicycle,” he said. “Regarding the AC, we will use it functionally. There are specific hours. So, our students from morning until 10:00-11:00 do not need AC; we will arrange it accordingly,” he added. SMA Saintek Ahmad Dahlan Salatiga has a capacity of 144 students, divided into four classes of 36 students each, with majors in science, social studies, and languages.