Security in Jakarta

Security is a big deal here.  Every large mall has security at all the entrances and all bags go through a scanner.  When I come home in a taxi, it pauses at the security gate and the contents of the trunk are scanned.  So far, nothing in my grocery bags has set off an alarm!

Security is also taken seriously at our school.  We go through security to enter the building, then when we get to the doors of our school on the 8^th or 9^th floor, we are met by our school security.  We have to be wearing our ID badge, then when we get to the doors, we use our fingerprint to unlock them.  To get out, we also use the fingerprint scanner.  The students have to be signed out by their nanny or parent every day, so my Teaching Assistant stands at the door at the end of the day and the children are dismissed one at a time.  Many of the children also have body guards that stay at the school all day, on the alert for any suspicious activity.  Apparently, the only thing that has caused an emergency so far,  was last year when word got out that one of the students had developed hoof and mouth disease.  This was so alarming that all the bodyguards rushed up, rescued their charges and within minutes most of the school was empty!  With all this security around, I feel that I’m pretty safe too, by association!  More seriously, a fire or earthquake would really be a disaster, as getting the students out down several flights of stairs, through a parkade, and down a lane to our assembly spot would be next to impossible.  My Indonesian Teaching Assistant says not to worry as all the body guards would come for the students and we would only have to take care of ourselves!

With all the nannies and body guards the children are growing up in a very rarified atmosphere.  They are very coddled.  I think I mentioned previously that if anyone is hurt, a phone call to the parent is made right away.  I’m not talking about stitches or concussions;  any bump to the head no matter how light and any scratch or bruise is reason to call.  We  have two full time nurses on duty and they are kept busy! We have to make sure we talk to the parent before the nanny sees them.  Apparently if the nanny notices anything, it’s a great upset.  The nannies are very reluctant to give up the care of the children to the school.  They also stay around all day, “in case they are needed”.   The parents are very concerned about germs, so the school has to be kept spotless (and it is!).  The children do not have to change into “inside shoes” as we do at home because their feet rarely touch the ground.  Considering how dirty the city is, maybe it’s understandable.    One of the teachers told me that last year she took her class on a field trip and they planned a picnic lunch in a park after the outing.  The parents that were along, were horrified when she asked them to sit on the ground.  There might be ants!  I think it is quite amusing and it makes our Canadian kids seem very rough and tumble in comparison!

The traffic at 6:00 pm on Jalen Sudiman, right by our school. There are just as many lanes going in the other direction.  This traffic was moving.  Sometimes it's at a standstill. To the right are Kathy and Rob, on the pedestrian overpass above the traffic last Friday night.