More Aceh pupils quit schools

More Aceh pupils quit schools

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Unabated tension caused the school dropout
rate in the province to increase to 2.14 percent last year from
1.98 percent the previous year, an official said on Tuesday.

The head of provincial education office, Malik Raden, told
Antara many students were forced to quit schools as they followed
their parents who sought refuge.

A total of 586,812 children were attending 3,270 elementary
schools across the restive province as of Aug. 31, 1999.

To make things worse, Malik said 111 elementary school
buildings were burned down by unidentified groups throughout last
year. Also set ablaze were 43 junior high schools, 15 high
schools and one vocational school building.

The political instability had driven 517 migrant teachers to
leave the province, Malik added. (amd)