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City to build more parks for child development
In response to widespread bullying among school-age children, the city administration has announced its plan to build more public parks in the capital to offer children more space to develop their potential
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n response to widespread bullying among school-age children, the city administration has announced its plan to build more public parks in the capital to offer children more space to develop their potential.
After a leadership meeting at City Hall on Monday, Deputy Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama said the administration would acquire land, particularly in slum areas, and turn it into public parks and playgrounds.
'Not all children are born into well-off families, and that's why schools and teachers play an important role in guaranteeing children's well-being. We want to help children ' especially underprivileged ones ' by building playgrounds, especially in slum areas,' he told reporters.
Ahok acknowledged that the plan was also partly in response the disturbing cases involving children that had occurred recently.
'It is both heartbreaking and alarming that a child jumped from an apartment because his parents did not allow him to watch a new movie. We have no idea whether this was a case of being allowed to watch [too much] TV. But we can't monitor every child ' what we can do is monitor their teachers in schools,' he said.
Ahok did not reveal further details, saying only that 'we just want to build as many [public parks] as possible in Jakarta'.
He added, however, that the city was set to acquire former governor Henk Ngantung's residence in East Jakarta and demolish the building.
'The family is selling the house and we aim to turn it into a public space,' he said, adding that 'we will probably name it 'Henk Ngantung Park''.
Separately, Governor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo urged schools to also promote character-building among children rather than focusing only on academic results.
'Our curriculum puts too much weight on math, biology and science, whereas morality and character are no less important,' he said.
Recent news reports about violent cases involving children have raised concerns over children's development, particularly in a big city like Jakarta.
Renggo Kadapi, an 11-year-old elementary student from East Jakarta, died on Sunday after allegedly being beaten by his schoolmate. His friend, referred to only as SY, allegedly assaulted Renggo after the latter accidentally bumped into SY, causing him to drop his drink.
Last week, a 5-year-old boy jumped from his parents' 19th-floor apartment in North Jakarta after locking himself in his room after his mother did not allow him to watch the latest The Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie.
There was also widespread shock following the recent death of a junior at the state-run Indonesian Merchant Marine Academy (STIP) in Marunda, Cilincing, North Jakarta, who was allegedly beaten to death by his seniors.
Bullying cases in Greater Jakarta
'¢ Nov. 3, 2009: Ade Fauzan Mahfuza, a freshman at SMA 82 state high school, was rushed to the Pertamina Hospital in South Jakarta after dozens of seniors attacked him for crossing a 'restricted' hallway in front of a classroom for 12th-graders. Ade had to have six stitches to his mouth and sustained injuries to his head and arms, leading his mother to report the case to Kebayoran Baru Police.
'¢ Feb. 16, 2012: AMN stabbed his school friend, Syaiful Munif, 13, after a quarrel over a cellular phone. Syaiful accused AMN of stealing his phone. AMN then assaulted Syaiful on their way to school in a housing complex in Cinere, Depok. 'I was consumed with anger. I took a knife from home and stabbed him,' AMN said. Syaiful survived after a security guard found him lying on a roadside.
'¢ April 24, 2013: YI, 7, killed his friend, Nur Afiz Kurniawan, 6, because the victim owed him Rp 1,000 (8 US cents). The attack took place near a reservoir in Summarecon housing complex in North Bekasi, Bekasi municipality.
'¢ Aug. 24, 2013: RS, 9, was hospitalized after being beaten by three of his classmates at SD 5 Pondok Sukmajaya state elementary school in Depok, West Java. He was beaten after he and the other three called one another names in the schoolyard.
