Street children too, deserve an education

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)