For the Sake of Education, Gibran is Willing to Walk Kilometres and Climb Steep, Slippery Hills

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG BARAT – The cheerfulness and enthusiasm of the students at SDN Giriasih, Karangtanjung Village, Cililin District, Bandung Barat Regency (KBB), West Java, remain undimmed even though they have to walk and climb hills to get to and from school.

SDN Giriasih is located in a mountainous area that is quite difficult to reach, so it is not easy for students to attend school. However, their spirit remains strong even though they have to walk a distance of more than 2 kilometres along a steep path.

On Tuesday (12/5/2026), Republika had the opportunity to visit SDN Giriasih and meet the students. The journey began from the Cililin Koramil (Military Command) using a motorbike, traversing a two-metre-wide mountain path that has been partially paved with asphalt.

The road’s geometry is located in a hilly and cliff area with a very steep gradient, sharp bends, a narrow road width, and borders directly on a ravine. However, this is not the only road that the students usually take. There is another road that is still made of earth, which they choose to shorten the distance and time.

A moment’s inattention and the ravine awaits. After travelling approximately 2.6 kilometres, we finally arrived at SDN Giriasih, which is located in a rather remote area and on top of a mountain. The students’ enthusiasm for learning is evident from the sincere smiles with which they greet visitors in the classroom.

Muhammad Al Gibran (9 years old), a 3rd-grade student, walks to and from school every day, climbing and descending the paths with his friends. He usually starts from his home in Kampung Gabus Hilir, Batulayang Village, Cililin District.

“If I leave home at 6 a.m., I arrive at 6.30 a.m., just in time for class. My house is quite far away, and I have to climb. The road to the village is still made of earth,” said Gibran.

Of course, it is not easy for Gibran and the other students. Challenges and risks also lurk when the weather is extreme. The roads become slippery, the threat of landslides blocks the roads, and trees fall. Therefore, for safety reasons, they sometimes do not go to school and are allowed to learn online.

“Sometimes, if the rain doesn’t stop, we don’t go to school. The teachers don’t mind. If it rains, the road is slippery,” said Gibran.