After 8 Years of Waiting, SDN Tando Receives Attention Following Viral Video of Lessons Under a Tree

State Primary School (SDN) Tando in Robo Village, Welak Subdistrict, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has finally received attention after going viral on social media. In fact, the school’s classroom conditions have been dire for eight years, forcing its students to learn under a tree.

Representatives from the Ministry of Education and Culture (Kemendikbud) inspected SDN Tando on Sunday (12/4/2024). Following the inspection, Kemendikbud promised to assist in building four additional classrooms for the school, which is located about 1.5 hours by road from Labuan Bajo. In addition to classrooms, Kemendikbud will build toilets for the school.

“The result will be assistance for four new classrooms and toilets,” said the Head of the Education, Youth, and Sports Office (PKO) of West Manggarai Regency, Yohanes Hani, on Sunday night.

Yohanes accompanied the Kemendikbud representatives during the inspection of SDN Tando. Also joining the inspection was the Head of the Education Quality Assurance Centre (BPMP) of NTT Province. BPMP is a Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) under Kemendikbud.

Yohanes said that the West Manggarai Regency PKO Office had prepared a proposal for the construction of four additional classrooms. The proposal had even been submitted to Kemendikbud and the NTT Provincial BPMP.

“We prepared the proposal and it was sent earlier today. Hopefully there are no obstacles,” Yohanes stated.

Four Classrooms to Be Built This Year

He said the plan to build the four classrooms would take place this year. The land is already available, covering 3.899 hectares. The land is already certified.

“The construction is planned for this year, though the exact timing is not yet known. I am confident it will happen because the process is long, starting from technical guidance for the school principal, budget planning, and so on,” Yohanes explained.

Before going viral and receiving attention from Kemendikbud, the school had actually reported the conditions to the West Manggarai Regency Government (Pemkab). However, there was no follow-up.

“If I say it was reported multiple times, no, because there was no response. We made monthly reports requesting repairs, but there was none (follow-up),” revealed the Principal of SDN Tando, Fransiskus Jenala, on Saturday (11/4/2024).

Fransiskus said that the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) had once intended to help build additional classrooms for SDN Tando in 2020. However, the plan never materialised. Despite the school submitting the required documents.

“In 2020, we actually received assistance from the central PUPR, but it didn’t pass the selection or something,” Fransiskus said.

Previously reported, a number of SDN Tando students have been conducting teaching and learning activities (KBM) under a tree for about eight years. Now, classes 2 and 3 take turns conducting KBM under the tree.

“It’s been a long time, since 2018,” revealed SDN Tando Principal Fransiskus Jenala on Saturday (11/4/2024).

Class 2 at the school has 15 pupils, and there are 10 pupils in class 3. The viral social media video was of class 3’s KBM.