Student brawls

Student brawls

From Kompas

We learned from a news report that a student lost his life in
a recent clash. The victim was a student on a scholarship from an
institute who was working part time selling papers to support
himself.

It was sad to hear that someone who harbored ideals of
becoming self-sufficient and whose family, quite likely, held
hopes for him to lead a better life, had his life snuffed out so
suddenly by a fellow student.

Having observed several incidents of a similar nature, I would
like to suggest to the people in the Ministry of Education and
Culture that high school students would do best if they no longer
wore traditional school uniforms or any other school attributes,
just to prevent fighting among the different schools.

Regard these kids as adults. Let them wear what they like, as
the university students do. The absence of school uniforms could
possibly reduce the tension among school children. Only a few
students would risk a fight with non-uniformed people who could
well be non-students.

Also, the government's purpose in requiring students to wear
school uniforms is to eliminate the dividing line between rich
and poor. In these times, however, it no longer serves this
purpose. Many students flaunt their affluence in various ways.

SHOFIAN G.

Jakarta