197 public schools prone to flood

JAKARTA (JP): At least 197 public elementary schools in Jakarta are prone to flooding and most of them are in poor condition, a city councilor said.

Soeparmo, head of Commission E for Welfare Affairs, said that the findings were uncovered during a visit by the commission to flood-prone areas of Kapuk Muara and Kamal Muara in North Jakarta.

"Every rainy season, school activities are disrupted because the buildings are situated on low-lying areas without a proper drainage system," he said.

The flood prone schools include SD (elementary school) Kapuk, SD Kali Baru, SD Kapuk Muara and SD Pademangan in North Jakarta; SD Duren Sawit in East Jakarta; SD Pesanggrahan and SD Pasar Minggu in South Jakarta; and SD Sumur Batu in Central Jakarta.

"These schools are in a poor condition. The municipality has apparently been unable to do much to rectify the situation due to the limited availability of funds.

"The city budget for education has been cut by 17 percent this year, down to only Rp 41.7 billion. Only a small number of schools will be renovated this year," he said.

To cope with the flooding problem, Nitra Arsyad, a member of Commission E, suggested the schools should be built on stilts.

"If the school buildings were higher off the ground, they would remain free from floods, thereby enabling the students to pursue their studies uninterrupted," he explained. (edt)