“In this year’s revitalization program, we will prioritize schools that are severely damaged and no longer usable,” Deputy Minister Atip Latipulhayat told reporters in Padang, West Sumatra, during a visit to assess post-disaster recovery efforts.
He said the ministry has completed data collection on schools affected by the floods and landslides that struck Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra in November, classifying damage into three categories: light, moderate and severe, to guide reconstruction priorities.
In West Sumatra alone, 501 schools were damaged by flash floods and landslides, Latipulhayat said.
Across the three provinces, a total of 4,470 educational institutions have been identified as requiring assistance, ranging from minor repairs to full rebuilding.
Aceh emerged as the worst-hit province, with 2,756 schools affected by flooding and landslides, he said. North Sumatra followed with 1,213 damaged educational facilities, highlighting the scale of disruption to schooling across northern Sumatra.
During his visit to Padang, the ministry disbursed operational assistance of Rp15 million (about US$896) each to elementary, junior high and senior high schools.
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The funds are intended to help schools resume operations quickly while awaiting longer-term rehabilitation.
In addition to institutional support, the ministry also provided direct assistance to students, including stationery and food supplies, to ease the burden on families affected by the disasters and ensure learning can continue.
Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti earlier said the government aims to revitalize 71,000 schools nationwide in 2026 as part of a broader push to improve education quality and infrastructure, particularly in disaster-prone regions.
He said more than Rp14 trillion (around US$836 million) has been allocated in the 2026 state budget to revitalize 11,000 schools, adding that President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to expand the program to cover an additional 60,000 schools.
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Translator: Muhammad Zulfikar, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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