Returning to school, despite SARS

Returning to school, despite SARS

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Amid heightened concern about Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS), parents returned their children to school on the first
day of the new semester at several international schools in
Jakarta.

"I'm worried about the SARS threat; moreover, no clear
information has been provided by the government," said an
Australian woman whose son goes to the Australian International
School in Pejaten, South Jakarta.

She said she had to remind her son not to share his personal
belongings with others.

"I hope he remembers the advice and follows it," she said, but
shrugged her shoulders as she was uncertain whether her son would
do so carefully enough. "You know what small children are like:
Sometimes they get too excited when hanging around with their
friends and forget everything."

Head of the Australian International School Penny Robertson
told The Jakarta Post on Monday that on the first day of school,
all 400 of its students returned and the school day went as
usual. Students started their vacation at the end of term one on
March 29.

"We have continuously encouraged parents," said Robertson,
"And we have also reminded students to wash their hands more
frequently."

Australian International School students, from kindergarten to
Year 12 level, are of 30 different nationalities, and 20 percent
of them are Indonesians.

Another international school, the British International
School, in Bintaro, Tangerang, also started a new semester on
Monday after a two-week break, a regular annual holiday.

Principal Peter Hoggins also said that as a precautionary
measure, the school would screen students. "Those showing cough
or flu symptoms will be sent to our medical officers and later
asked to stay at home until they are feeling well."

He said that so far two students had been asked to stay at
home because of influenza symptoms.

Students returning from trips to Hong Kong and China are also
being asked to bring a doctor's letter guaranteeing that they are
healthy, he said.

"Parents are very concerned at the SARS issue. We have
explained it to them and so far they are very supportive," he
said.

The British International School has 900 students of 47
nationalities.

A British citizen suspected of contracting SARS has been
receiving treatment at the Sulianti Suroso Infectious Diseases
Hospital, North Jakarta, since April 9.

Meanwhile, the Singapore International School, Lebak Bulus,
South Jakarta, which was closed from March 24 to April 7
following advice given by the Singapore Board of Education, was
operating as normal.

A mother said she still felt uneasy about sending her daughter
to school because it had fewer precautions, but she did not know
what else to do.

The head could not be reached for comment.

Recent research carried out by Hong Kong-based Political and
Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC), as reported by The Straits
Times on Monday, showed that respondents had the least confidence
in Indonesia.

On a scale of zero to 10, with zero the best and 10 the worst,
Indonesia was rated 9.14.

The research involved 1,072 expatriate business executives,
working in 12 Asian countries, grading their confidence in the
ability of hospitals in their host country to deal with major
illnesses.