Footprints of Cibuntu Child in Bogor: Two-Hour Walk to School
Small footsteps of six children traced along village roads still unpaved and waterlogged after rain. The chirping of crickets accompanied the children heading to school.
The children departed from their homes in Desa Leuwikaret, Klapanunggal District, Bogor Regency at 5:30 AM. Without parental accompaniment, they navigated roads still unlit until arriving at school at 7:30 AM. Indeed, these small children must undertake a two-hour journey to school.
A video of children undertaking this lengthy journey to school went viral on social media. In the three-minute video, a resident named Akim, aged 43, greeted the schoolchildren.
“Where are you going?” Akim asked in Sundanese.
“We’re going to school,” the children replied in unison.
When asked what time they departed, the children answered almost simultaneously: half past five in the morning.
“So two hours to reach school? Good heavens,” he said in the video.
For residents of Cibuntu Village, the damaged road is not merely a problem for schoolchildren. The muddy unpaved road without proper infrastructure serves as the sole access for residents to conduct their daily activities. The small hamlet comprising two neighbourhood associations and one village association depends entirely on this single route—a route that during rainy season frequently transforms into a stream of water and mud.
Akim, who works as a farmer, stated that road conditions worsen significantly during heavy rain. Water from the nearby river often overflows and blocks the road. The earth becomes slippery and difficult to traverse, even for adults.
“When it rains heavily, water rises onto the road. Sometimes the children cannot pass through,” said Akim.
Observing these conditions, he hoped the video he recorded would reach the regional government. In the recording, Akim directly expressed his hopes to West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi and the Bogor Regency Government to improve road access in their village.
“Please do something, Kang Dedi, build this road. This is still part of West Java. Don’t only build roads for other people’s villages,” said Akim.
The video subsequently went viral on social media and drew public attention. The recording showing children walking two hours to attend school depicted the harsh reality of educational access in parts of Bogor Regency.
Sastra Winara, Chairman of Bogor Regency Legislative Council, stated that his office takes the matter seriously. He said he would promptly examine the status of the road used by the children to determine responsibility for repairs.
“Tomorrow we will first check with the Village Affairs Office to determine whether it is a village road or a regency road,” said Sastra when met after conducting tarawih prayers throughout Babakan Madang District on Wednesday evening, 11 March 2026.
According to Sastra, clarifying the road’s status is important so the government can promptly take improvement measures. He also planned to conduct a direct site inspection with relevant agencies after the Eid holiday period.
“After Eid we will go there, by motorcycle. The Regent had also previously expressed a desire to inspect the location,” he said.
He added that the council will coordinate with the Bogor Regency Community Empowerment and Village Affairs Office to find a solution to the problem.