Students to be mobilized to support Games
Students to be mobilized to support Games
JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Education and Culture's city
office is to proceed with its plan to mobilize students to
support the 19th SEA Games.
Office spokesman Hadis Hadianegara told The Jakarta Post
yesterday that his office had sent schedules of the sports events
and venues students and their teachers should attend to the heads
of the education and culture offices in the city's five
mayoralties.
School holidays were originally scheduled for the third week
of October, after exams. Due to the SEA Games, however, the exams
will be held in the fourth week of October, after the holidays.
The office is instead giving a six-day vacation to the city's
elementary and secondary school students from Oct. 13 to Oct. 18
to enable them to watch the Games, which is being held from Oct.
11 to Oct. 19. The vacation will be one week ahead of the
original schedule.
"Students are expected to go to events based on the distance
between their schools and the sports' venues," Hadis said.
"For instance, for events being held in the Velodrome,
Rawamangun, East Jakarta, students from schools in East Jakarta
have been chosen to be the supporters," he said.
The schedules sent to the education and culture ministry
offices in the city's five mayoralties were signed by the Jakarta
office head, Sri Sudono Sumarto. The schedules were sent together
with basic procedures for the mobilization of the students.
These include the appointment of at least two schools to
support every event, with a minimum of 50 students and their
personal counselors attending from each school.
The students will be required to give brief accounts of the
sports they see, while the school headmasters have been asked to
make full reports on the students' mobilization program.
The 10 participating nations will compete in 34 sports events,
including track and field, basketball, soccer and badminton.
"We are trying to ensure that all the events will be attended
by students, from the first day to the final round. But I don't
know for sure about the entrance ticket prices, because we are
still negotiating with the SEA Games committee about that. I
really hope the students can get discounts," Hadis said.
Objection
City councilor Nitra Arsyad of Commission E for welfare
affairs expressed his objection to the planned vacation.
The office should make a mixed schedule between watching the
games and attending classes, he said.
"Don't give them a full six-day vacation just to watch the
games. It will affect their concentration in preparing for the
exams. The peak of the students' learning activities is projected
to take place in the middle of this month.
"If their learning activities are interrupted with holidays,
I'm afraid that it will disturb their concentration," Nitra said.
The office should mix the schedule, he said. For instance,
morning schools should attend morning events and afternoon
schools the afternoon games, he said.
He said, however, that if the office went ahead with the plan,
a real holiday should also be given to compensate for the SEA
Games vacation. "The students need two or three days off to rest
after their exams in the fourth week of October, so they can
start the next semester feeling fresh."
Nitra also expressed concern about security during the games.
"If a lot of students attend the games, security officers must be
able to control the situation. Don't allow student brawls to
develop. Make it a fun and enjoyable Games too watch."
Nitra said that he did not object to the mobilization program,
but that the office must act for the sake of the students.
"The SEA Games is a prestigious event. We ought to support it.
And students are easy to mobilize, so I understand why their
contribution is needed. But don't just urge students. Ask for
support from the general public as well," he said. (07)