Students join the Navy for four days

JAKARTA (JP): Under the escort of their teachers, a group of 216 students from 33 high schools in Jakarta and several other provinces began a four-day excursion on a Navy warship on Friday evening.

According to Arief Rachman, principal of Lab School, which organized the tour, the Arun warship will sail the students through the popular Seribu Islands north of Jakarta Bay and return to Tanjung Priok port on Monday.

"It's an alternative activity for students to spend their school holiday," Arief, also a noted Muslim preacher, said in the opening ceremony of the program called Bina Taqwa Pelajar Indonesia at the port hours before departure.

During the trip, the crew will instruct the students on the workings of the ships equipment such as radar, radio, weapons and engines.

On a stop-over at the islands, the youths will do some marine studies and assist local residents with their health facilities.

According to Arief, the idea to hold the program came five years ago when the Lab School had its annual Islamic teaching course during the school holidays.

In a bid to accommodate students from other religions, the school finally decided to hold a program during the holiday which could be participated in by students of any religion.

"We want to intensify the religious belief and tolerance among the students, and advise them about the harm of drugs and narcotics, as well as student brawls," said Arief.

The students come from 14 high schools in Jakarta, 11 in West Java, one from Jombang (East Java), three from Palembang (South Sumatra), one from Pekan Baru of Riau, one from Padang (West Sumatra), one from Medan (North Sumatra) and one from Samarinda (East Kalimantan). Since the number of participants is limited, students are selected by each of the participating schools.

The schedule also includes lessons and assignments given by leaders of each religion, and some classes from experts, Arief said.

Students are also expected to learn from the Navy crew about discipline, leadership and responsibility among friends, he added.

All the efforts, he added, will hopefully shape the students' mentality and sensitivity to respond properly among their communities in the future.

"It will be a memorable experience for them," Arief said.

The commander of the warship, Lt. Col. Hari Bowo, said: "Security monitoring in a warship and international communication with other ships will be interesting for the students."

The 140-meter-vessel with 100 crew is a support ship to supply fuel, equipment and supplies.

Some female students used their first minutes onboard to investigate along the alleyway.

"I never know that the bedrooms in a warship could be this neat," commented one of them.

The outing, requiring payment of Rp 150,000 per student, received enthusiastic responses from the participants.

"I'm bored with going to malls or hanging out with my friends during school holidays, so I decided to join this excursion," said Elizabeth Safetri, a student from a high school in Samarinda.

Other students were interested in the unusual choice of place for recreation.

"Diving and marine exploration seem challenging to me, since I like the outdoor activities club in school," said Emanuel Aryo W. student of Saint Angela High School in Bandung.

The consideration for all religions within one event is another attractive point for students and parents, who want to share peace and friendship with other participants.

"After all the hard effort at school, this program is a good reward for my daughter," said one parent.

Teachers taking part in the program suggested the organizers from the Lab School to increase the number of participants as there were many more students wanting to take part in the rare trip on a warship. (07)