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)