Relatively quiet on the graduation front

JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of secondary students celebrated their graduation day by spray painting their clothes and hair, showering buses with water and jumping on top of buses. Shopping centers saw crowds of the untidy students.

Everything was under control, Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Hamami Nata said.

Over 80,000 students from state and private schools sat the examinations this year.

Some passersby were painted with multicolored sprays from the jubilant youngsters.

Students from Cikini schools near Jl. Surabaya in Central Jakarta were ordered down from the roof of a full Metro Mini bus by police.

In Kuningan, South Jakarta, others in their scribbled on and spray painted uniforms enjoyed lunch at Pasar Festival, where a circus was opening.

Further south, a happy headmaster turned a hose on thousands of his screaming students. The shower has become a tradition among graduates at SMU 70 state high school.

They once used hoses from the fire brigade, but have shifted to the parks office's hoses because the office has cleaner water.

After hearing reports from all five mayoralty police chiefs, Hamami was satisfied there were no fatalities or serious injuries during this year's celebration. He said this was thanks to cooperation between school staff and police. Last year a few students were injured in a brawl in East Jakarta.

"School staff asked police to help them prevent any problems," he said. (anr/jun)