NEWS ITEM (Grand Launching of e-Government of Riau in Pekanbaru)

PEKANBARU - Department of Communications and Informatics of Riau Province rolling out the Grand Launching of e-Government of Riau in Pekanbaru, Grand Ballroom Aryaduta Hotel, Friday (23/22).

The Governor of Riau (Gubri) in his speech said the progress of IT now, it's time to follow and developed by the Government in carrying out various tasks in the field of governance especially in serving the community.

"With the utilisation, related government agencies expected technology can accelerate the information service to the public," said the Governor of Riau

Gubri explained, information and communication technology developed in Government or called with e-Government makes increasingly easy to access government policies so that the Government's planned program can run smoothly, accountable and transparent.

Meanwhile, the Head of Department of Communications and Informatics of Riau Province Ir. H. Yogi Getri says that there are 55 web-based applications that have connected to the official government portal of the Province of Riau and 48 official websites of SKPD Provincial that could be delivered to the community.

Then, Ir. H. Yogi Getri says Riau Province government has been having the Command Center which is located in the Office of the Governor of Riau Province contained 9 SKPD has been integrated.

Grand Launching of e-Government attended directly by Governor of Riau Arsyaduliandi Rachman, Indonesia's Ambassador to UNESCO, Fauzi Soelaiman, Forkopimda Province of Riau and High Official of Pratama surroundings at Provincial Government of Riau.

REPORT TEXT (Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport)

Sultan Syarif Kasim II International Airport is an international airport that serves the city of Pekanbaru, Riau, Indonesia. The airport is often referred to as SSK II, SSK or Sultan Syarif Qasim II International Airport (SSQ II), and formerly known as Simpang Tiga Airport. The namesake of the airport is Sultan Syarif Kasim II, the last sultan of Siak and an Indonesian National Hero. The airport serves flights to and from several cities and towns in Indonesia and neighbouring countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.

The airport area and runway is also shared with Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base, a Type A airbase of the TNI-AU (Indonesian Air Force). The airbase is named after the former Chief of Indonesian Air Force, Cmdr. Roesmin Nurjadin. Starting in early December 2014, it served as the homebase of 16 F-16 squadrons upon completion, the additional squadron which is Skadron Udara 16, comprising a fleet of F-16 Blok 52RI and existing Skadron Udara 12 Black Panthers, comprising a fleet of Hawk Mk.109s and Mk.209s.

In early 2010, the first phase of the airport's started with the construction of a new terminal to replace the original terminal built in the 1980s. The original terminal was demolished to make way for additional parking spaces. The new terminal will sport a modern design with three jetways and a larger apron. Despite the opening of the new terminal in 2012, two out of the three jet bridges commenced operation in late July 2014. This is the first time in the history of the airport that jet bridges were utilised.

DISCUSSION TEXT (Full Day School iN Pekanbaru)

Culture and Education Minister Muhadjir Effendy’s controversial plan to extend school hours for elementary and high school students will have a positive impact on students – in terms of both academic achievement and personal development, parents have said.

Wiwik Lestari, a parent from Pekanbaru, said only expensive private schools offered full-day school at present and that Muhadjir’s idea would provide better education for children of low-income families, who could only afford to send their children to public schools.

 “Students from rich families can also afford to pay private teachers for extra lessons, while the poor can’t afford it,” said Wiwin, who is a mother of a fifth-grader and ninth-grader, both of whom attend public schools.

Meanwhile, Rozi Yanti from Pekanbaru, said that her daughter, who studied at a private junior high school in Pekanbaru, took more classes at her full-day school. She added that the program encouraged her daughter to spend more time on positive activities at school instead of hanging out with friends at malls.

Critics say many public schools are not yet ready to implement the plan and that it is only appropriate for schools in urban areas, particularly as Muhadjir has said that full-day school would encourage parents to send their students to school by themselves and pick them up on their way home from work.