More firms sought for student holiday jobs

JAKARTA (JP): Deputy governor in charge of welfare affairs RS Museno yesterday called for a greater number of private firms to provide apprenticeships to high school students during the holidays.

"The program which is designed to enable students to spend their holidays on useful activities has proved very worthwhile. We hope that more and more private companies will take part in the program," said Museno.

Museno spoke at city hall in a ceremony sending off high school students to their summer jobs under the program.

Out of 800,000 junior and senior high school students in Jakarta 55,170 will take part in the "fill-in-the-holiday program" during the long June and July holiday, compared to 43,541 in December, 1993, and 6,992 in December 1989 when the program was first introduced.

This holiday, 40 government agencies and 39 private firms are willing to accept students.

Of the students 53,280 will be employed within the government while the remaining 1,890 will have positions in the private sector.

City hall listed garment stores as among the private firms which have accepted the most students.

City councilor Salam Sumangat from the Golkar faction decried the fact that so few private firms were willing to participate.

"Actually it is the private firms which are expected to play the greatest role in the program. As in developed countries, private firms are obliged to allocate funds for development and research. Our private firms must allocate similar funds, including for this fill-in-the-holiday program," said Salam.

Salam considers the program to be important for several reasons, citing the work experience it provides and keeping the students off the streets as the two greatest benefits.

He also pointed to the fact that no restaurants or hotels participating, saying this is a big disappointment.

"I think restaurants and hotels are suitable places for the students to work as apprentices during holidays. I wonder why they are not on the list. Is it because the municipality is weak in its approach to them?" asked Salam.

Museno said during the program 6,985 students will take an ideology course, 36,530 will go on study tours, 4,730 apprenticeship, 6,125 will participate in competition, and 800 social work.

Salam said the ideal situation would be it all the students secured apprenticeships, instead of having to participate in other activities.

"That's why the participation of the private sector is called for," he said.

Hendra Siswanta, deputy director of the Cahaya Department Store, which has accepted 160 students, said in his speech on behalf of the firms joining the program that their participation was prompted by a feeling of responsibility for the younger generation's education. (jsk)