Ubud Schools

The other day, I attended a meeting at the Ubud Primary School, located across the road from the soccer field in Monkey Forest road. Those of you who have spent time in Ubud will know this school. It's a lovely old establishment brimming with frangipani trees in the courtyard, wide shady verandahs and happy children in neat uniforms. The principal, Bapak Dewa Oka from Padang Tegal, addressed the parents in his gentle humble manner about the lack of funds for this village school. Compared to a western primary school, Ubud Primary is totally impoverished and with the new autonomy creeping into Bali, the school now needs to generate their own funds to pay wages and so on.

He meekly asked if the parents would be able to pay an additional Rp.2,000 a month so they could pay the wages for a security man that would patrol the school and help the children cross the road and help with other expenses. I've known the principal for many years now, especially as I used to teach English there once a week. He is a lovely man whose heart is dedicated to his students and school. Throughout the meeting I thought there must be a way we can all help. So, I 'm putting it out to you.

If you would like to donate any ammount of money to this school and put something back into the community, let me know and I will take you there. You can even just wonder in off the road and have a look around. You'll see what I mean about lack of facilities - they have none. I sat in the meeting looking at the smug photograph of Megawati in all her red glory and thought, your days are numbered my dear! Life is only getting harder in Indonesia and you've let your people down. Shame on you.