Some 1,000 teachers in Aceh missing

JAKARTA: At least 1,000 teachers in Aceh are missing following last week's tsunami disaster, and around 50 percent of school buildings in affected areas were destroyed, according to the latest statistics issued by the Ministry of Education.

"Preliminary data shows that at least 1,000 teachers are missing, and some 140,000 elementary school students and 20,000 junior high school students cannot continue with their studies as many schools were destroyed," said director general of elementary and secondary education Indra Djati Sidi on Wednesday.

He said that the government planned to set up 2,000 tents as temporary schools and bring in around 1,000 teachers from North Sumatra and other neighboring areas.

He expected that school activities in tsunami-hit areas would resume by Jan, 20, 2005. --JP