School burning continues in Aceh

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: At least three more schools in troubled Aceh province were set ablaze by unidentified persons on Friday night raising the number of schools gutted in North Aceh regency over the last two months to 61, an official said on Saturday.

Last month alone over 50 schools experienced a similar fate, M. Umar Ar Khadi, an official of the education bureau in the regency, said.

By comparison there are about 500 schools in North Aceh regency, he said.

The latest schools to be attacked are located in Tanoh Jambo Aye, North Aceh regency, some 328 kilometer west of here, he said as quoted by Antara on Saturday.

"We have not received any report on the amount of the estimated losses from the attacks," Umar said by telephone from the North Aceh capital of Lhokseumawe.

Fortunately, the three schools were not totally gutted, he said, adding that the incidents took place between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

"The students of the gutted schools will now be forced to attend classes at other nearby schools," said Umar. (02)