School project delayed again after 25 years on hold

School project delayed again after 25 years on hold

JAKARTA (JP): After a 25-year postponement, the city's plan to
develop a school complex on its 18-hectare plot at Cibubur in
East Jakarta may be delayed again.

The government's directive to cut budget spending following
the current monetary and stock market crisis has cast doubt over
all city projects, including the long-awaited school.

Deputy Governor of Economic and Development Affairs Tb. M.
Rais said, after a meeting Thursday about the school's master
plan, that the city administration was still reviewing the
project.

"We can't say anything further because there will be
rescheduling and changes to the city's budget and development
program."

But the city will try "its best" to push ahead with the plan,
he said.

According to Rais, the idea to develop the site on Jl. Pondok
Karya Pembangunan was proposed in 1972, when Ali Sadikin was
governor.

The plan was to renovate the site, which is currently home to
three schools, into an integrated school complex for students
from kindergarten to university and equipped with support
facilities, such as sports fields and a hospital.

The existing buildings at the site include a senior high
school, a junior high school and a senior technical school.

Rais said the plan was aimed at providing better school
facilities for students of all walks of life.

"Besides that, the city also wants to maximize the use of its
property.

"At the Pondok Karya site there will also be dormitories and
buildings for pesantren (Islamic teaching for boarding students)
courses," he said.

The project, expected to cost Rp 264 billion (US$88.70
million), will come out of the city's budget and be developed by
a privately-owned company, PT Perentjanaan Djaja.

Priority

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja reminded the company to concentrate
on educational interests rather than a commercial slant.

"The most important thing is creating better educational
facilities for the students," he said.

"The Pondok Karya site is the city's property and should be
developed as an example of a complete school complex for the
future."

Surjadi directed the company to build the school first.

"Later, we can build the other facilities. The interests of
the students must come first," he said, referring to dormitories
which will be rented to pesantren students.

The company's project architect, Nursyahid Rachmat, said
development would be divided into five stages.

"The first phase might be started next year with the
construction of a mosque and pesantren facilities, which are all
expected to be completed by 1999," he said.

According to an initial plan, the whole project is expected to
be concluded in 2002.

"But we are still waiting for the right moment to start
because of the ongoing financial crisis," Nursyahid said. (07)