Raising Mission Impossible On The Sempor River

Photo illustration (Instagram/@kwarcab.kotabandung)

JAKARTA - The police have named three suspects in connection with the Sempor River tracing incident which was experienced by hundreds of students of SMPN 1 Turi, Yogyakarta (DIY). The suspects were Scout coaches and school sports teachers. We are trying to find plausible reasons for the suspects to initiate this activity. Impossible. As impossible as the mission assigned to those unlucky boys.

Danang Dewo Subroto, Riyanto, and Isfan Yoppy Andrian were proven to have neglected the safety of the Boy Scouts. The last name is a school teacher who is known to be the initiator of the riverbanks. Isfan Yoppy is also said to have played a role in determining the location of the activity.

Woe to the students, because the river crossing was insanely initiated. Without safety, let alone safety procedures. Isfan Yoppy was proven not to have prepared steps to anticipate accidents. As for the two coaches, Riyanto and Danang Dewo, they were proven guilty of not accompanying the students in this dangerous activity.

In fact, both are known to have a Scout Advanced Basic Course (KMD) certificate. Riyanto was instead at school guarding his belongings when the students struggled with the swift flow of the Sempor River. Meanwhile Danang Dewo waited at the finish line.

"There is no safety procedure for river trays. There are no safety devices," said Head of Public Relations of the Yogyakarta Regional Police, Kombes Yuliyanto, contacted by VOI, Tuesday, February 25, 2019.

The increase in the number of suspects does not mean the case has been completed. Until now, investigators have continued to scrutinize the statements of the four other supervisors. The opportunity to increase the number of suspects is still open. In the effort to settle the case, investigators have examined 22 people. They are Scout coaches, kwarcab, local residents, school principals, to the victims' parents.

"So far, investigators have examined seven scout coaches, three kwarcab, three residents or tourism managers, two students who survived, one school principal, six parents of victims," said Yuliyanto.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Guritno Scout Movement National Information Center responded positively to the determination of the suspects. No need to bother looking for violations of the element of safety. In Guritno's eyes, holding river tracing activities for junior high school students was a mistake. According to Guritno, river tracing activities are only for Scouts at the high school (SMA) level.

"For Penggalang (equivalent to junior high school), it is not like that. It is enough on the riverbank. When talking about this incident, it should be for high school level and above," said Guritno.

Lack of coaches

This incident at the same time became a momentum for the national Scouting movement to evaluate itself. Guritno himself realized that there was a problem in the number of Scout coaches today. In fact, the number of Scout membership in Indonesia reaches 25 million people.

Guritno did not specify a number. However, he gave an idea that currently the ratio between coaches and Scout members is one in one thousand. The ratio is far from ideal, where each coach should only be able to supervise ten Scout participants.

"In an activity, it often happens, the number of coaches with participants is not ideal. And that is one of the main factors," said Guritno.

Photo illustration (Instagram/@kwarcab.kotabandung)

The National Scout Movement did not stand still. In fact, efforts to increase the number of coaches are continuously carried out through competency tests and education for participants which are carried out in stages from the district / city level every year. However, low interest and lack of government attention are obstacles.

"Then, there are tests or stages. There are periodic examinations. We have a training center, we provide adult coaching for prospective supervisors. But, unfortunately, the government does not pay attention to the budget side," said Guritno.

In the eyes of the world

The lack of public interest in becoming members of Praja Muda Karana or Pramuka is very unfortunate. Ignorance of scouts may be the cause. In fact, Indonesian Scouts are one of the best in the world. Pramuka, has many work units (saka) that intersect, either directly or indirectly, with people in various lines of life.

"Saka Birgantara, Saka Bhayangkara, Saka Tanggap Cares. Then in other fields ... First, from quantity, quality, and dexterity. And from activities that directly impact the community," Guritno, explained the benchmark of Scout quality.

In fact, in every World Scout Jamboree activity, the Indonesian contingent is one of the most awaited. This is because the Indonesian Scouts are one of the mecca of the world. This means, in form, there is not much difference between Scouts abroad and Indonesian Scouts.

American Scout (Commons Wikimedia)

In the United States, for example. Scouts are called Boy Scout and Girl Scout. Gender separation is deliberately carried out because of the different activities between the two. Boy Scout has two levels, namely junior and senior. They are divided into teams, each team consisting of 20 to 30 members.

Boy Scout activities include training social sensitivity, independence, discipline. Meanwhile, for the physical, Boy Scouts must be trained to camp, make wooden crafts, and even various kinds of sports, including water sports. Apart from that, they also patrolled for security.

Meanwhile, for Girl Scout, activities that are often carried out are providing first aid to accidents, community service and camping. In addition, they are also trained to make certain foods.

These two scout movements have a unique system, where members can have multiple badges after they carry out social activities, such as helping the community.