Figure 1.-- This photo was taken in 1979 in Pikhe village, West Papua. This is one of the two provinces od Indonesian western New Guinea, formerly known as Irian Jaya Barat (West Irian),. This is the local school. It looks like an all-boys class. The school is very basic. We don't see any books. The boys look like ofer primary-age children. We don't kmow how many years of schooling they have had.

This photo was taken in 1979 in Pikhe village, West Papua. This is one of the two provinces od Indonesian western New Guinea, formerly known as Irian Jaya Barat (West Irian). This is the local school. It looks like an all-boys class. There may have been a girls' class or school, but we believe that many parents were reluctat to send their girls to school. The school is very basic. We don't see any books. The boys look like older primary-age children. We don't know how many years of schooling they have had. At the time most New Guina boys attended school wearing only their minamilist sheaths. Some of the boys wear only casual garments. We do not know if poverty waas involved here. One report says that many still saw clothing as something degrading and the nakedness as an expression of dignity. Clearly this was not just older people that had this attitude. Indonesia was one of the many nwly independent nations that afopted socialist policies an autocratic rule. As a result, little progress was made in developing a prosperous economy and a well-funded public school system. This was especially the case of Indonesian New Guina which was still very primative.

Created: 3:14 AM 3/13/2010
Last updated: 12:14 AM 10/13/2023