Street children too, deserve an education
JAKARTA (JP): Like any other children, poor children in Pedongkelan slum in East Jakarta deserve an education too.
About 50 street children seem to enjoy the classes in an informal school in the slum even though they have sit on the floor. Most of them were drawing on Friday.
"I like this class better than begging on the street. I attend it almost every day," Andri, 6, told The Jakarta Post on Friday, saying that he likes drawing, singing and playing with his friends.
Most children who live in the slum are made to beg during the day by their parents.
Sumiati, 26, one resident, admitted that at the beginning she did not like her six-year-old son, Arwin Maulana, attending classes since he had to help support the family by begging on the street. Her husband is a scavenger.
Arwin is a student of an elementary school in Kayu Putih and he begs on the street after school. He used to earn about Rp 3,000 a day, his mother said.
At first she objected to Arwin attending classes in the informal school in the afternoon.
"But as I can see the improvement of his manner, I let him continue at the informal school," said the woman.
She said her son used to be very naughty and did not want to bathe.
The name of the informal school is Sekolah Anak Jalanan (School for Street Children, SAJA), which was established by PaRaM non-governmental organization last year, according to Farid R. Faqih, PaRaM's founder.
However, the school was burned down recently, so PaRaM rebuilt it. The new building was inaugurated on Friday.
The school is very modest. It has three classrooms, each measuring about 12 square meters. The classrooms are also modest. There is only a blackboard and several posters on the walls in each classroom.
However, the yellow building looks attractive in the middle of wretched, smelly environment.
The school has two teachers and one principal. Just like formal schools, it began the school year in July. The students can choose whether to attend morning or afternoon classes.
There are 118 students registered there. Some of them, like Andri and Arwin, also attend a formal school, but they are welcome by SAJA.
"The number of children who attend classes changes daily, depending on the children themselves," Reinhart Hutabarat, the principal, remarked.
Meanwhile, Indra Djati Sidi, director general of primary and secondary education, who inaugurated the school on Friday afternoon, encouraged the establishment of informal schools for poor children.
"Primary school education is essential so the government will facilitate it, including providing funds and training," he said. (04)