Sutiyoso hails school for delinquent minors

JAKARTA (JP): The juvenile delinquents school for problematic teenagers launched by the Jakarta Military Command in 1994 has succeeded in improving students' behavior, Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso said yesterday.

At a three-day Indonesian Teacher's Association conference, Sutiyoso said that the school's strict program, which included military training, had helped turn most students into good cadres and role models for their peer groups.

They usually actively participated in social activities, ranging from school renovations to keeping the environment clean, he said.

The school, at the City's Main Regiment, in Condet, East Jakarta, is sponsored by the Jakarta Military Command and the Jakarta Police.

Most of its students are teenagers who have been arrested for being in student brawls, or for criminal activities such as stealing. They are then sent to the school for two months to three months.

"I hope the program will continue to help problematic students in the city," said Sutiyoso.

He urged parents and teachers to maintain close relationships and open communication with teenagers, to prevent and reduce delinquency problems.

Students fought each other because their parents and teachers could not control them, and because of bad influences from modern society, he said.

"Many young people grow up without sufficient supervision from their parents, as most parents are too busy with their jobs. Their children's learning processes are therefore mostly influenced by their friends and the media," he said.

He urged the city administration to provide teenagers with more facilities to give them enough room to express themselves.

He said student brawls in Jakarta caused major problems and tended to be destructive.

"They wreck buses, school buildings, private cars and many other public facilities. Brawls also cause heavy traffic jams, thereby affecting innocent people," Sutiyoso said.

Sutiyoso also urged teachers not to sell their dignity and self-respect by faking diplomas, manipulating scores or other corrupt practices.

"Being a teacher is hard, especially because you only earn a small salary," he said.

"But having a small income does not mean you are allowed to get money illegally," he said. (07)