Number of students needing help soars

Number of students needing help soars

TANGERANG (JP): The number of school-age children from poor
families in need of assistance in least developed villages in
Indonesia reached about 90,000, up almost 500 percent from before
the economic crisis hit the country in July 1997, an official
said.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty
Eradication Haryono Suyono said here on Monday that 20,000 of the
90,000 students lived in villages, while the other 70,000 came
from areas outside the villages.

Haryono made his remarks during the registration of new
students at elementary and junior high schools in Balaraja
district, Tangerang.

Tangerang Regent Agus Djunara said the number of school-age
children from poor families in the regency was at least 437,821.
"About 52,021 of these children cannot be accommodated (in
schools) due to limited facilities."

"We are looking for a solution to the problem," he said.

Haryono later told Agus to find solutions to the problem
through cooperation with the private sector.(41/hhr)