Bukittinggi school gets assistance

BUKITTINGGI, West Sumatra: Sampoerna Foundation has given assistance to state-run high school SMA 5 in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, to help the school improve its quality.

Sampoerna Foundation's school quality improvement program also channeled assistance to SMA 11 high school in Bandung, West Java, and SMA 4 in Denpasar, Bali.

Three other state-run high schools in Depok in West Java, Sekayu in South Sumatra and Balikpapan in East Kalimantan received similar aid.

Sampoerna Foundation chief operating officer Elan Merdy and Bukittinggi Mayor Djufri signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the assistance Wednesday at SMA 5.

Elan said similar assistance would be channeled to 33 provinces throughout the country in stages over the next 10 years.

""Bukittinggi was chosen because the city has produced a number of noted national figures like Bung Hatta, Agus Salim, Emil Salim and others,"" Elan said.

The assistance was given in the form of programs designed to expand the school administration's ability to improve quality, including teacher training courses, curriculum revision and improved school management, Elan said. -- JP