Public asked to contribute to save tumbledown schools

Public asked to contribute to save tumbledown schools

Indra Harsaputra, The Jakarta Post, Pasuruan

Manan Hadi, the school principal of Tanggul Angin 73 state
elementary school in the Kejayan area, was very happy. He was
escorting a group of journalists and non-governmental
organization (NGO) activists, who were inspecting newly renovated
school buildings. He occasionally greeted students studying in
their class-rooms.

"The students are very happy. They are comfortable and
delighted to be studying in renovated buildings, and no longer
worry that the building will fall in upon them," said Manan.

Before the school building was renovated, teaching at the
school was in sorry state. Some 90 percent of the school
buildings were in a dilapidated condition.

The school administration had often asked for renovation
funding from the regency education office, but it never
materialized as the regency was always short in its budget
allocations.

Manan decided last year to shift classes to a house belonging
to local resident because of fears that the school buildings
might collapse.

But, at the same time, the school administration worked hard
to collecting donations in order to fund building renovations.

Local leaders, private companies such as instant milk maker PT
Nestle Indonesia, and Nurani Dunia Foundation, all contributed
funds to the renovation of the school buildings, which house 173
students. Some Rp 700 million was collected, most of it coming
from PT Nestle, whose factory is located nearby.

The renovation, including construction of supporting
facilities such as a library building and a large hall, began in
the middle of this year, and is now 90 percent complete.

Imam Prasodjo, the director of Nurani Dunia Foundation,
expressed concern that the sorry state of school buildings was
not only limited to the Kejayan state elementary school, but was
common in hundreds of elementary schools throughout East Java.

In the Sampang regency, 395 out of a total of 573 state
elementary school building were dilapidated. In Jombang regency,
82 of 866 school buildings were also in a sorry state.

"There are probably thousands of school buildings throughout
the nation that are dangerous and unfit for use. We realize that
the government is short of funds, so the public has to stand up
and participate to improve current situation," said Imam, who is
also a lecturer at the University of Indonesia.

He said that since 2001 his foundation had helped renovate and
construct 21 school buildings in Aceh, Ambon, West Java, East
Java and North Maluku. Each building renovation or construction
costs between Rp 100 and Rp 700 million.

"We just channel donations from big companies who have a
commitment to education, such as PT Nestle and PT Bank Mandiri,"
said Imam.