School's out until Friday, new spate of unrest feared

School's out until Friday, new spate of unrest feared

JAKARTA (JP): Elementary and high school students have been
given three days off as fears of fresh rioting grip the capital,
a City Education and Culture Office staffer said yesterday.

Usman, from the office's administrative affairs section, said
the office had issued a letter dated May 17 which informed the
students that the impromptu vacation would be from yesterday
through Wednesday.

"School will reopen on Friday because Thursday is a public
holiday," he said. "We worry that rumors about a huge
demonstration planned for May 20 will happen and erupt into
violence."

He said the office issued the letter, which was sent to
schools, after a coordinating meeting with city administration
officials last week.

However, headmasters, teachers and employees are expected to
go to school as usual to complete nonteaching tasks.

Massive riots developed Wednesday and Thursday, with thousands
of buildings, shops, vehicles, motorcycles and houses burned down
or damaged. About 500 people were reported to have been killed.

The mob violence was triggered by the death of four Trisakti
University student protesters on May 12.

As Jakarta enjoyed relative calm yesterday, rumors abounded
that students and political activists would hold a huge rally at
the National Monument (Monas), near the presidential office, on
May 20 to coincide with National Awakening Day.

Many fear that the massive rally, to intensify pressure on
President Soeharto to stand down, would trigger further rioting.

Teachers at some state and privately owned schools contacted
by The Jakarta Post revealed that they had not received the
letter Usman spoke of.

An elementary school teacher, Ratno Hadi, said that the school
only received an unofficial instruction from the office to tell
the students it was a vacation.

Ratno, a teacher of SDN Selong 03 elementary school in South
Jakarta, said that only a small number of students came to school
yesterday.

"We were asked by the education and culture office to close
the school until Friday as it could be dangerous for students to
go to school if tensions are still high."

He said that the school principal and teachers were asked to
go to work as usual.

"I take pity on the students because they are supposed to
prepare for a test this week ahead of the national exam next
Monday."

Theresia Seneng Rahayu, a teacher at Catholic Santa Theresia
Tourism High School in Central Jakarta, said the school itself
had decided to suspend classes from Thursday.

"Students are asked to listen to Radio Sonora for further
notice."

She said school activities were to resume yesterday but, when
only 50 of the 700 students turned up, classes were postponed.

"Some students have fled to Singapore with their relatives to
avoid the possibility of more riots."

Suyatmo, a teacher of Catholic Tarakanita Junior High School
in Pluit, North Jakarta, said that the school would be closed
until Friday.

He said about 15 of the 40 students in each class were in
attendance yesterday so the school management decided to tell
them it was a vacation.

Suyatmo also said that it was the school's initiative to grant
the vacation as it had not received the official letter.
(ind/hhr)