T

he school board of Don Bosco private elementary school in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, has acknowledged that it made an “ill-advised decision” by denying entrance to a prospective student because her father is HIV positive.

Panca Darma Foundation, which runs the school, pledged on Monday to grant entrance to the daughter of Fajar Jasmin, and issued an apology to Fajar and his family.

“We don’t know much about the HIV issue and our lack of knowledge has led us all to a misunderstanding,” said Handi Pranata, a member of the foundation’s advisory board.

On Monday, the National AIDS Prevention Commission (KPAN) mediated a meeting between the foundation and Fajar and his family at the Office of the Coordinating Minister for People’s Welfare.

Handi said that Fajar’s protest and the ensuing intense media scrutiny had taught the school a valuable lesson.

“Now we know that rejecting an HIV positive child is outlawed,” he said.

Handi said that Don Bosco’s previous stance of rejecting HIV positive students was based on fears that the school would not be able to provide special medical treatment for them.

“We received a letter from KPAN saying that we didn’t need to do that. Even students living with HIV don’t need special treatment,” he said.

Handi said that Don Bosco had issued an apology for requiring Fajar to provide the school with his daughter’s medical records to show that she did not have HIV/AIDS.

“We also learned that the school can’t force children to take an HIV test and submit the results for any purpose,” he said.

Don Bosco is also ready to accept Fajar’s daughter as its student, Handi said. “She can start class next year. We will ensure that she will not be discriminated against,” he said.

The Catholic school said that it was planning to hold a seminar on HIV/AIDS for parents and teachers on Dec. 13 to raise awareness about the disease.

“Ideally, people with HIV should not become the target of discrimination. But, reality tells a different story. In fact, we still have many parents who don’t want their children to interact with HIV patients,” he said.

KPAN secretary Nafsiah Mboi said that the commission would help the school with the campaign.

“HIV is transmitted in very specific ways. There is not a chance for children with HIV to infect their friends through daily interactions,” she said.

Nafsiah said that the program would also remind educational institutions not to restrict access to students with HIV.

She also said that most people in Indonesia had a phobia of the disease and those who were living with it.

“Fajar’s wife has been living with him for years and she does not have the virus,” she said.

Fajar’s wife Leonnie F. Merinsca said that having sufficient knowledge of the disease could easily prevent misunderstandings.

“I have been living with him for seven years and I am still HIV negative. What matters most is to have enough knowledge and to open our mind to new information,” she said.

Fajar said that he had accepted the school’s apology and wanted the case closed.

“It is great that the school has made an admission of its mistakes and shown a willingness to issue a public apology,” he said.

Leonnie said that her family would not prolong the dispute.

Earlier, the family wanted Don Bosco to make a statement of apology in a number of national newspapers.

An activist with the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on AIDS Aditya Wardanan said that the Don Bosco case exposed a general lack of knowledge of AIDS among the public.

“So far, programs and information related to the HIV issue have been solely aimed at those who are at high risk of contracting the disease,” he said.

“We forget that educating ordinary people who are not susceptible to the virus is also important,” he said. (lfr)