A representative of the pesantren and head of its alumni association, Zainal Abidin, confirmed that students began returning to the school on Friday.
“Tonight, several students have come back to the pesantren, particularly those from our college, senior high school, and junior high school,” Abidin said.
He explained that the school’s activities would temporarily be centered at the Al Khoziny Islamic College building, which previously served as the command post for the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) during post-collapse operations.
Meanwhile, the main building of the pesantren - located adjacent to the collapse site - remains under police cordon. The structure had housed the male dormitory and classrooms.
Although students have begun returning, Abidin said the pesantren has yet to determine how many pupils will eventually rejoin.
“What matters most now is that the pesantren can resume its educational activities to ensure learning continuity,” he noted.
Abidin added that the alumni association will provide trauma counseling and assistance for affected students and their families.
The pesantren will also offer scholarships to students who sustained serious injuries or physical disabilities as a result of the tragedy.
“Alumni members will help those students, especially those who were disabled in the incident, to obtain scholarships up to the postgraduate level,” he said.
The four-story Al Khoziny building collapsed on September 29 while undergoing renovation work. Hundreds of students were performing congregational prayers when the structure gave way, trapping many under the debris.
On October 7, Basarnas Operations Director Commodore Yudhi Bramantyo reported that 171 victims were found after nine days of search and rescue operations. Of that number, 104 people were rescued alive, while 67 were confirmed dead.
The Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team of the East Java Police completed the identification process for all victims on October 15.
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Translator: Astrid FH/Fahmi A, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Primayanti
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