Most schools without libraries

JAKARTA: Only 5 percent of about 300,000 elementary and high schools in Indonesia have a library, indicating that reading habit among students is still low.

Idris Kamah, the deputy chief of the National Library Development, called on the government to put aside a small portion of the annual state budget to develop libraries in schools.

"If the government can develop facilities for libraries, we will seek books from numerous donors and provide staff to manage the libraries," he said in observance of National Library Day and National Awakening Day here on Tuesday.

Idris said that without libraries, students would not be able to develop a reading habit and their knowledge and quality of education would remain low.

He also called on villages to take the initiative in building their own libraries or reading facilities to encourage students and school-aged children and youths and to foster their desire to learn.

Rizal Sikumbang, the chairman of the Bina Anak Indonesia Foundation, called on the government to require housing development companies to develop library facilities in housing projects. -- Antara