Education Ministry: Revitalisation Programme Improves Learning Comfort in Wakatobi
The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) has stated that the implementation of the educational unit revitalisation programme has successfully enhanced the comfort and safety of student learning activities in Wakatobi Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province.
The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu’ti, stated that the school revitalisation programme serves as evidence of the government’s commitment to providing high-quality and equitable access to education.
“This revitalisation of educational units is a tangible manifestation of the state’s presence in ensuring fair access to quality education. Schools must become the most anticipated and enjoyable places for students to pursue knowledge,” Mu’ti said in Central Jakarta on Wednesday.
One of the schools benefiting from the programme is the Maritim Mola Private Junior High School in Wakatobi Regency, which previously suffered from leaking classrooms, fragile floors, and decaying wooden structures.
The Director General of Early Childhood, Primary, and Non-formal and Informal Education (PAUD, Dikdas, and PNFI) at Kemendikdasmen, Gogot Suharwoto, emphasised that the revitalisation programme is a national effort to provide safe and comfortable schools for all Indonesian children, including those in coastal and island regions.
“For the Bajo children in Wakatobi, a proper school is not merely a new building, but a safe and comfortable space to foster hope, preserve maritime identity, and pave the way toward a better future,” said Gogot.
On a separate occasion, the Head of Maritim Mola Private Junior High School, Narto, noted that the school’s geographical location, situated over water, presents unique construction challenges.
Nevertheless, the school remains an inseparable part of the coastal community’s life.
“Geographically, our school is located in the heart of the Bajo community in the coastal area. After school, many children join their parents at sea or fishing. Therefore, the school must also be able to provide adaptive learning without causing them to lose their maritime identity and traditions,” he said.
Through the Educational Unit Revitalisation Programme, this school received a revitalisation budget of approximately Rp2.96 billion. The improvements are visible not only in the four newly constructed classrooms but also in additional facilities including a library, a school health unit (UKS), administrative rooms, toilets, and the rehabilitation of the science laboratory.
He also expressed his appreciation for the government’s attention to improving the quality of educational infrastructure through the programme, particularly in coastal areas, which has brought about real change.