Sleepy heads bemoan new school hours; Roads clearer

Triwik Kurniasari ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 01/06/2009 7:01 AM  |  Headlines

Students and teachers in Jakarta were left scratching their sleepy heads Monday — at least the ones that woke up on time — and trying to figure out the reasoning behind the Jakarta administration’s decision to have them begin school 30 minutes earlier.

“We felt sleepy in class because we had to wake up so early,” said Holila, a student at State Junior High School 24 in Senayan, Central Jakarta.

She said some of her friends had arrived late and had said they had found it difficult to retain focus in class. And, just because they had to arrive earlier did not mean they could go home earlier too.

“We usually go home at 3 p.m. and we can leave school around 2 p.m. But, the problem is, many friends of mine take the train and the train (comes) at 3.30 p.m. so they have to wait for some time at the station to catch the train,” Holila said.

Yanti, a teacher at State Elementary School 08 in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, said she was doubtful the policy would reduce traffic in the capital as argued by the administration.

“Our students aren’t the cause of the traffic jams because most of them live nearby the school and come here either by foot or public bus,” she said, adding that only a few students in her class had come late to school Monday.

“We did not impose any punishment on them because this is still a new rule that the students need time to adapt to,” she said.

Under the new policy, the city administration dials back school hours 30 minutes to begin at 6:30 a.m.

It claims the scheme will reduce traffic snarls, cut fuel consumption and improve quality of life.

About 20.7 million total trips were made on average per day in Jakarta last year, 15 percent more than the 17.5 million per day in 2004.

Workers and students accounted for the lion’s shares with 32 percent, or 6.63 million trips, and 30 percent, or 6.27 million trips, respectively.

Around 18 percent, or 3.65 million trips, were made for “other” reasons, 12 percent, or 2.38 million, involved shopgoers, and 8 percent, or 1.67 million trips, involved businesspeople.

The Jakarta Post observed Monday that most city roads were relatively quiet.

An officer at the police’s Traffic Management Center, Adj. Comr. Sugeng Budiono, said some traditional traffic snarls, like Cawang traffic junction in East Jakarta and Grogol junction in West Jakarta, were less crowded than normal.

“But, I can’t confirm that this is because of the new ruling. It’s too early to say that,” he said.

Deputy governor Prijanto said his administration would review the policy on a weekly basis.

“If the policy does not significant improve traffic problems, then we might retract it,” he said, adding that he wished to discuss with “private parties” the possibility of imposing a similar scheme on private businesses.

He said last year that the administration was considering whether to determine office working hours by zones.

Offices in North and Central Jakarta would start at 7.30 a.m., those in West and East Jakarta at 8 a.m., and those in South Jakarta at 9 a.m. Working hours for civil servants would remain unchanged at 7.30 a.m. (hdt)

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