Students pray for friends, teachers

Students pray for friends, teachers

Students of junior high school SLTPN I Darul Imarah (see photo)
in Lampeurut, Aceh Besar, were still deep in grief, with many of
their schoolmates and teachers not in attendance at the mass
prayer assembly the school held on Wednesday.

Wiping their tears in silence, students listened to prayers
being recited by a teacher, Arifin Zainal, and read from the
Koran.

"We pray for the students, teachers, and all the people who
died in this calamity," school headmaster Ainal Mardiah said.

So far, she said, six of the school's teachers and five
students are known to have died as a result of the earthquake and
tidal wave on Dec. 26.

The school is still collecting information on casualties. Only
about 100 of its 300 students have attended class since the
school reopened three days ago.

"Although school has started, we are only giving students
religious instructions until Jan. 26. After that, usual school
activities will resume," Ainal explained. (JP/Ruslan Sangadji)