Jakarta (Jurnal Nasional: (01/10/07) Schools in eastern Indonesia are not the only ones facing problems of limited infrastructure. An elementary school complex located in Bukit Duri Tanjakan, South Jakarta is also facing the same problem.There are six elementary schools inside the complex, namely SD 01, 09, 11, 02, 10 and 12. Students have to study in turn, in the morning and in the afternoon, because there are only 18 classrooms there.

On the second floor, a shelf is hanged on the wall which they called library. Suryanto, who teaches the 5th grade in the SD 10 Petang said he was not shocked with such a lamentable condition. The school condition has not been improving since 23 years ago when he started working there, the condition of the school built under the presidential instruction (or Inpres school) is always the same. Aside of classrooms where students are studying, there is one office for the school principal, another for teachers’ room and lavatories.

”Usually, SD Inpres do not have any library, laboratory, or mushala," said Suryanto who organized a street children festival at the Tugu Proklamasi monument in Jakarta. He admitted though the limited school facilities makes teaching and learning process unable to be carried out optimally; because there’s no room to explore teaching materials, to express oneself in arts and culture.He explained that most of the students of afternoon school came from underprivileged families. Financial limitation and school limited facilities make the students unable to compete with students form other schools. “The students could not join computer competition because they have to computer at home and there’s no computer in the school. How could they join the competition?” he asked.

To overcome the problems of limited facilities, schools should be able to work together with non-governmental organizations that care for education. On Friday (09/28), around 130 volunteers from the Sampoerna Foundation and Jak FM arrived to help arrange the school complex which is located in a small alley. They brought dozens of bins to serve as waste disposals, they make book shelves for each classroom; they put on a basketball ring and paint the field.

They also wanted to build a library, but there’s no space left. Finally the turned a wooden cart into a mobile library, equipped with the books, of course.”Mobile library seems more suitable. Aside of us, there will be a teacher in charge of this mobile library," said Sampoerna Foundation PR, Henry B Satrio. Dozens of teachers and students also participated in the communal work. Sri Mulyati, a 6th grade student of SD 09 was seen painting a waste bin. Devi and Sintia, her two class mates gave her a helping hand.”We have finished painting our bins, now we are helping Sri," they said.

Baihaki, elementary school 012 school principal said that this activity is very useful for the students. Working together to renovate the school will strengthen their sense of belonging and they will also participate in keeping the facilities in good condition.