"Reinforce the role of scouts movement as part of the national education system, make the scouts movement as a protective element for the youths from terrorist radicalism and drug abuse," President Yudhoyono said when opening the scouts movement national jamboree in Teluk Gelam, Ogan Komering Ilir district, South Sumatra province on Saturday.
The president said since the revitalization program for the youth was introduced five years ago, he has seen much progress from such efforts, among others the increase in the scouts members, their quality raise and educational materials adjusted with the times and the enactment of Law No.12/2010 concerning the scouts movement.
"I ask the national scouts chairman to continue revitalizing the scouts movement, provide support and facilitation of the establishment and expansion of front groups and community-based schools across the country," the president said.
In addition, Yudhoyono said the issuance of Law No.12/2010 constitutes a serious attention of the nation, the government and community as a whole on the importance of the scouts movement mainly the character building of the younger generation in effort to make them as future leaders.
"Scouts movement is set into non-formal education system to complement the formal one. The scouts movement is a means that formed character and personality, as well as extracurricular activities to forge the character discipline and the spirit of nationalism," the head of state cited.
The scouts movement national jamboree taking place from July 2 through 9, 2011 is participated in by around 25,000 scouts including 100 foreign participants.
On the occasion, president Yudhoyono also required all the national jamboree participants to make the event a way to make friends, gain knowledge and skills so that they can spread what they have obtained in the jamboree to their friends in their respective regions.
In the meantime, the national scout movement executive board chairman Azrul Azwar said after the revitalization program, the member of scouta movement at present amounting 22 million students across the country.
According to Azrul Azwar, currently the number of scout movement front groups across Indonesia has reached 317,091.
(SYS/B003/H-YH)
Editor: Suryanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
