Soeharto tells children not to depend on education alone
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto told Indonesia's children yesterday that their future fortune depended more on their initiative than their education.
Citing himself, the President said not all children were able to go to university. But he stressed such people would not lose out if they could learn directly from society, which he described as "the best university."
"Look at my own experience. I have never studied at university, but I learned politics, economics and social culture from the community university," the President told more than 100 children at a meeting at the State Palace to commemorate National Education Day.
After secondary school Soeharto went to the Royal Netherlands Indies Army Academy in Gombong, Central Java in 1940. He was elected President in 1968 and has been re-elected six times.
In his speech, Soeharto called on the nation to realize the importance of education for development and pledged the government's commitment to improve the quality of national education standards.
National Education Day falls on the birthday of Ki Hajar Dewantara, who founded the Taman Siswa Education System in the 1920s.
It was celebrated across the country yesterday. All 27 provincial governors led ceremonies and read out Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro's written address.
The President said six million of the country's 38 million school-age children could not attend school because they were too poor and about 400,000 others dropped out before attaining a "basic education".
In 1994 the government made a minimum of nine years education compulsory to encourage all children to go to school. The program was an extension of the successful six-year compulsory education scheme.
The government has invested between 12 percent and 18 percent of its annual budget (more than Rp 150 billion for this fiscal year) in education over the past four years, 72 percent of which is spent on primary and secondary education.
The president said yesterday he hoped that the compulsory education goal could be achieved before the end of the 7th Five- Year Development Plan in 2004.
In May last year, Soeharto launched the National Foster Parent drive to help up to 400,000 children who were in desperate need of financing.
Yesterday's ceremony was also attended by Vice President Try Sutrisno, Wardiman, Minister of Home Affairs Yogie SM, and Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher.
After the official ceremony, the president held a dialog with the children. All the youngsters appeared enthusiastic to talk with him. However only few were given the opportunity to do so.
Eliwardani, an elementary-school pupil from Aceh, wished the President good health and long life, and told him that she wanted to be a doctor.
"In prime health, as you are now, you can continue leading us to develop this country," she told the smiling President.
However, when she praised his government, Soeharto asked him, "Were you told by your teacher to say this?"
Soeharto also thanked Fitrita, an elementary-school pupil from Pontianak, West Kalimantan, who promised to pray for his health.
"Thank you for the prayer. It is better to be healthy, as you can see, than being sick, although I know that many people hope that I fall sick," he said smilingly.
The event was originally scheduled to be held in Denpasar, Bali. However it was moved to Jakarta as it clashed with the election campaign.
From Bandarlampung, Lampung, Antara reported Governor Poedjono Pranyoto launched the Community's Learning Hour Movement, where parents are encouraged to switch-off their televisions from 7:30 p.m to 9:30 p.m so their children can study.
In Dili, East Timor, five teachers received Satyalancana medals of merit for their dedication.
In Ambon, Maluku, Linda Irwin and Emily Pithaen, Australian students at a local senior high school under an exchange program, attended the ceremony led by governor Akib Latukonsina. (06)