"I thanked God to have been able to view this natural phenomenon, particularly along with the disabled children," he remarked.
Some 120 disabled children from across Indonesia, who were in Central Bangka to participate in an interaction festival and contest for children with special needs, watched the total solar eclipse.
"We have just witnessed it in the coast along with the blind and deaf children as well as the children with autism. The event is organized in Central Bangka to enable them to watch the total solar eclipse," he noted.
The minister said he explained to the blind children what was actually occurring.
The natural phenomenon is a lesson on how great God is and how small mankind is in the universe, he affirmed.
He urged schools, including the teachers and students, to utilize the momentum of the natural phenomenon to edify children about the universe.
The total solar eclipse only occurs once every 33 years in Indonesia and happens in the same location only once every 340 years, he added.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016