Ministry to launch holiday programs

Ministry to launch holiday programs

JAKARTA (JP): Long school holidays can be a headache for
parents, particularly for those with not much money to spare.
That is why the Ministry of Education and Culture's holiday
programs at its city office are big help.

Registration for the upcoming semester holiday programs at the
office is expected to attract 50,000 senior high school students.

Job training, one of the programs offered, has been the most
attractive program so far, the office spokesperson, Hadis
Hadianegara, said.

McDonalds Indonesia, the Jakarta Fire Department, the City
Public Order Office and the Jakarta Tourism Office are a few
institutions which have shown interest in the job training
program, he said.

After the city office acquires participation of public and
private offices and businesses, registration for students will
begin June 16 for the program which runs from June 21 to July 21,
during the semester holiday period.

"McDonalds has requested 100 students," Hadis said. "It has
participated in the program since at least 1994."

The City Fire Department has said it could take in at least
100 more and the Public Order Office said it wanted 500 students.

"They (the Public Order Office) wanted some help in cleaning
up the remains of campaign contestants," Hadis said.

Registered students are then deployed to various offices.
Pocket money, transport allowances and lunch money differ among
offices. "In the last semester holiday, students at one office
were very satisfied to get Rp 20,000 a day," he said.

During the last semester holiday, the Jakarta Tourism Office
deployed 1,200 students to various hotels and restaurants.

The holiday programs are offered each semester holiday and
were initiated in 1989. Apart from job training, the programs
offer visits to museums, study tours, and various competitions.

The programs began as a response to complaints from parents,
particularly those of relatively low-income families, that the
holidays were a burden for them.

Children would ask for more money and mothers felt they had to
provide more food at home.

Hadis said that holiday programs were aimed at easing parents'
burdens, preventing brawls, enhancing students' knowledge and
skills, and familiarizing others with the business world.

Offices can also recruit potential employees through the
program, he added.

He also said the central bank, Bank Indonesia, has said it
would sponsor a stamp design competition and a writing contest on
saving.

"We ask that more private and public offices and businesses
take in students for these programs," Hadis said.

Suharso, head of the City Fire Department, said yesterday that
there were usually more students interested than his office could
take in.

"The fire drills might be more challenging and exciting to
youngsters than office work," he said.

Basic knowledge of fire management could benefit students in
their homes, he said.

Hadis said students also enjoyed supermarket jobs, and even
working at cemetery offices.

"But students of elite schools rarely join our programs, even
though we're open to the general public," he said.

Study tours are the most expensive program. During the
February semester holiday, a limited group of 120 students went
to West Sumatra, he said. (anr)