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Wamena schools resume activities despite many absent students, teachers

Schools in the formerly conflict-ridden Wamena of Jayawijaya regency, Papua, resumed activities on Monday after they were forced to close amid riots in the city two weeks ago.

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb (The Jakarta Post)
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Wamena/Jayawijaya
Mon, October 7, 2019

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Wamena schools resume activities despite many absent students, teachers Students of SMP 1 Wamena junior high school take part in a trauma healing session on the first day of school on Monday after weeks of closure following riots on Sept. 23, which damaged school facilities and traumatized students and teachers. (JP/Syofiardi Bachyul Jb)

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chools in the formerly conflict-ridden Wamena, Jayawijaya regency, Papua, resumed activities on Monday after they were forced to close amid riots in the city two weeks ago.

Nineteen senior high schools and junior high schools were damaged during the riots, although none were burned. Repairs were carried out last week with the help of the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police.

According to The Jakarta Post's observations at some schools, only an average of 10 percent of students attended the first day of school after weeks of closure, during which students underwent trauma healing with games and helped clean up their schools.

At SMA 1 Wamena state senior high school, around 200 students were in attendance from the 947 registered students. As for teachers, only 34 out of 52 teachers showed up.

On the day of the riots, students from other schools in Wamena reportedly went to SMA 1 Wamena, which was about to start its midterm exams. The students entered the school's yard and invited SMA 1 Wamena students to join their protest after a teacher at SMA PGRI Wamena senior high school reportedly used a racial slur.  Officials later claimed rumors of the incident were groundless.

As students were not allowed to leave their classrooms, the students outside started hurling stones at the school's windows and doors. As a result, classes were dismissed and students started running around.  A teacher who tried calling the students back into the classroom was hit by a stone and taken to a hospital.

SMA 1 Wamena principal Yosep Suryo Wibisono said he was not optimistic that learning and teaching activities could proceed effectively in the next few days but said he would try to get activities to resume regularly as soon as possible.  "What's certain is that this semester will not run as effectively as the previous semesters. Midterm exams could not be held, so we'll focus on holding the [final] exams in December," he said.

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