School burning continues in Aceh

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)