Student brawl: Students are involved in a schoolyard brawl in this file photo. Jakarta has seen many brawls among junior high and high school students, with some ending in death. (JP/P.J. Leo)
Merging two neighboring elite schools that are always clashing, may end their constant battles, the National Child Protection Commission (KPAI) suggests.
The latest brawl involving neighboring SMAN 6 and SMAN 70 on Monday ended in the death of one SMAN 6 student. Two others were injured in the fight that occurred in the Blok M area, South Jakarta.
KPAI deputy chairman Asrorun Niam said Tuesday that the prolonged hostility between the schools “was triggered by the schools’ adjacent locations and deep roots of violent culture”. Niam used the example of the unification of SMA 9 and SMA 11 state high schools, following frequent brawls between the two schools in 1981. The two schools were merged into today’s SMA 70, located in South Jakarta.
Monday’s clash occurred when several SMA 6 students on their way to lunch, were attacked by 20 students allegedly from SMAN 70. A first-year student from SMA 6, Alawy Yusianto Putra, sustained a stab injury in the chest.
“I was told to come to Muhammadiyah Taman Puring hospital,” Alawy’s father, Tauri Yusianto told kompas.com. “But, when I arrived Alawy had passed away.”
The student was buried at the Poncol cemetery in Tangerang, Tuesday morning.
SMAN 70 principal Liliek Susanto has vowed to expel the student that is found guilty of murdering the 16-year-old boy.
Asrorun hoped that the school administration could do more than just expel one or a number of students.
“We have to uphold the law and put the student[s] on trial. However, the educational institutions are obligated to provide guidance for the perpetrator[s], not just kick them out,” he added.
In the aftermath of the brawl, the two schools have been closed from Tuesday to Friday for meetings with concerned parties, including the city’s Education Agency and police.
Prior to the incident, the two schools had been marred with some violence-related cases. SMA 6 students clashed with journalists that filmed the school’s student brawl in September of last year. A month later, parents of SMAN 70 students filed a report to the National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA) regarding bullying activities conducted by senior students. (yps/lfr)
