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)