Night school provides escape for young maids

Night school provides escape for young maids

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

One would not have guessed that Indri was a domestic worker while
watching her fingers dancing across a computer keyboard.

Computers have become the 16-year-old's latest recreation
these last four months as she takes a free course at a school for
domestic workers only a 10-minute walk from the house at which
she works.

"I have seen my employer's computer, but of course I never
touch it," said the girl, who has been working for a family in
Pamulang, Tangerang, for a year. "It (using a computer) is not as
difficult as I imagined. But the commands are all in English. I
have to constantly ask my tutor for help."

Indri and some 19 other teenage domestic workers receive not
only computer tutorials at Griya Rumpun School; they also study
all the basic subjects taught in general schools. The school is
operated from two small adjoining houses in the Alam Asri housing
complex.

The school was initiated in 2000 by non-governmental
organization Rumpun Gema Perempuan with funding from the
International Labor Organization (ILO). There were similar
schools in housing complexes in Depok, Parung, Kemuning and
Pondok Cabe.

It is part of a program to empower domestic workers,
especially those who are still school age.

Currently there are almost 700,000 child domestic workers
nationwide. Most of them entered the workforce when they were
just 11 or 12 years old, many not even finishing elementary
school.

Eight teachers in Griya Rumpun prepare the domestic workers to
take junior high school and high school equality exams known as
Kejar Paket B and Kejar Paket C, similar to many night schools in
the capital.

In addition, computer and English classes are conducted twice
a week.

The school also provides domestic courses like cooking and
handicrafts, aside from holding monthly discussions to make the
teenagers aware of their rights as workers. The young teens also
issue a bimonthly bulletin in which they can express themselves
through writing.

"We study everyday -- except on Sunday -- from 7 p.m. to 9:30
p.m.," said Umi Munawaroh, a part-time domestic worker who helps
at the school. "I took the Paket C exam recently, but I failed."

Umi said that it was very difficult to concentrate on classes
because she was already tired from doing her daily work.

Unlike normal school children, these students are allowed to
be late and skip classes. "My employer often tells me to do more
work just before I have to leave for class," said 19-year old
Sofia from Medan who has been working for two years for a family
in a nearby complex.

Convincing employers has been the most difficult part of the
process.

"We often have to visit employers several times to explain
what the program is all about and convince them to allow their
workers to study here," said Umi who helps workers negotiate with
their employers.

Umi explained that most employers imposed conditions before
allowing their workers to spend almost three hours a day at the
school. "My boss only lets me out three times a week," said
Sofia, regretting that she could not take the computer lessons.

And when her class finished at 10 p.m, she had to walk home to
a pile of dishes that she had to clear before going to sleep.
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