Jakarta –
DPR Commission X Chairman Syaiful Huda Teased Depok City Government About Relocation Plan SDN Pondok China (Pocin) 1 for the construction of mosques. Syaiful Huda did not see the urgency behind the Depok city government’s plan.
“I don’t know exactly what the plan is behind the construction of the mosque which, then, must sacrifice the schools, that’s all. I didn’t find the urgency at all. Moreover, not even the school which, for example, replaces the old school, is ready. So I don’t see the urgency,” Huda told reporters on Wednesday (11/30/2022).
Huda said plans to build a mosque could actually be postponed. He wanted the education of students SDN Pocin 1 absolutely guaranteed.
“I once said that the local government, in this case Depok, needs to speed up the handling of this relocation problem. So it’s like they have some kind of work that is not being completed and education should not be traded for development whose benefits are not clear in my opinion. Meanwhile the benefits of education are very clear,” said PKB Deputy Secretary General (Wasekjen).
“And don’t let it be bartered, negotiated, for development plans that can actually be postponed,” Huda continued.
Huda said that the affairs of educational institutions at the elementary and middle school level were the responsibility of the district/city regional government, in this context namely the Depok city government. However, he encouraged the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) to take steps to address this issue.
“Yes, the authority for SD, SMP, is indeed in the regional government of the regency/city, but I feel this has become a kind of protest, anxiety, I think the Ministry of Education and Culture needs to take steps to coordinate, ensure that this inconvenience must be ended and ask the City Government Depok to resolve this case,” he said.
Previously, the relocation plan SDN Pocin 1 received criticism, one of which was highlighted by historian JJ Rizal. He criticized the Depok city government for planning to build a mosque on the grounds of Pondok China (Pocin) 1 Primary School. According to him, the Depok city government has neglected children’s right to education.
“The Depok city government which is adamant on building a grand mosque on top of the ruins of an elementary school building shows a disregard for the right to education,” JJ Rizal said on Friday (11/25/2022 ).
He also assessed that the Depok city government did not deserve the title of a child-friendly city. Indeed, she continued, the Depok city government has repeatedly received this title from the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA).
“I am increasingly convinced that Depok is not a city for children,” JJ Rizal said on his Twitter account, @JJRizal.
He assessed that Depok Mayor M Idris has not paid much attention to educational facilities which are basic needs for children.
“How can a city be called child-friendly if the mayor doesn’t understand that the most essential thing for children is education and why they can’t understand that the main thing is children’s education,” he said.
(fca/gbr)
