Storm wrecks school in Bekasi

BEKASI (JP): Students of an elementary school in Bekasi, on the eastern outskirts of the city, are now studying in the teacher's room because their classrooms were heavily damaged by a storm on Monday.

The school principal, Aji Rajiman, said that there was no other alternative but conduct classes in the teacher's room, otherwise the students would have to be given an extended vacation.

"The 200 students, from the first to sixth grades, temporarily have to study in the teacher's room which was only slightly damaged by the storm," Rajiman said.

"I don't know how long this will last," he said.

Rajiman said the school, located in Talok, Banjar Sari village, Sukatani district, had four of its five schoolrooms badly damaged by wind when a storm struck the Bekasi area during a heavy rain on Monday. It was the first day of the 1994/95 academic year for elementary and secondary schools.

No one was injured or killed in the incident as it occurred after school hours.

"The school building is now askew with one wall cracked," Rajiman said, adding that the roof-tiles and some wooden planks from the four classrooms were carried away by the wind.

Rajiman said the case had been reported to the Bekasi regency administration. The Sukatani district office, which oversees the Talok area, has promised to tackle the problem but said that the students must study in nearby residents' houses for the time being because it would take some time to renovate the school. (12/jsk)