Gibran Visits Riau Primary School After Teacher's Instagram Comment

A teacher at SDN 016 Serusa Parit Aman in Rokan Hilir Regency, Riau Province, Desi Pradipta, never imagined that her comment on Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s Instagram account would result in a direct visit to the school where she teaches. The visit took place on Friday (17/7/2026). It has brought new hope for teachers, pupils, and residents that the school, which is in a concerning state, will soon be repaired by the central government. Desi had previously left a comment on one of Gibran’s Instagram posts inviting him to see firsthand the condition of SDN 016 Serusa, which she deemed no longer fit for purpose. The invitation received a response and was eventually realised through the Vice President’s working visit to the school. “I commented on Bapak’s Instagram to come to our school at SD 016 Serusa and alhamdulillah it was responded to by Bapak, and finally Bapak came to our school today,” Desi said. For Desi, the presence of the former mayor of Solo brings hope that the school where she serves will soon be rehabilitated so that teaching and learning activities can take place more safely and comfortably. “Hopefully this school can also be repaired, that is our hope as teachers here, and the children too,” Desi hoped. The condition of the school building indeed requires attention. Several parts show damage, ranging from ageing structures, a potholed field, to a swampy area without a fence within the school grounds. Seeing these conditions, Gibran then held a dialogue with parents to absorb various aspirations. One parent, Muhari Siregar, said the school has stood for a long time and has produced many alumni who have contributed to the region and the country. “This is an old school, so many of its alumni have contributed greatly to both the village and the country,” said the parent of pupils in grades 2 and 6. According to Muhari, Gibran committed to helping rehabilitate the school after seeing the various damages firsthand. The roof, ceiling, walls, and doors all need immediate repair. “The building is fragile, the structure is tilted, the field for extracurricular activities is difficult, and so is the ceremonial field,” Muhari explained. Besides inspecting the school’s condition, Gibran also listened to various issues faced by the surrounding community. The majority of residents, who work as farmers and fishermen, complained about road infrastructure to agricultural land, the availability of diesel fuel, and the distribution of subsidised fertiliser. “Other matters, for example, our complaints about diesel availability and road infrastructure to farms will also be followed up. So will subsidised fertiliser, which will be provided next. Because so far we have also had difficulty getting subsidised fertiliser in our village,” Gibran said. The visit was a follow-up to aspirations conveyed by the community through social media, as well as part of the government’s effort to directly inspect the condition of educational facilities in the regions. Acting Governor of Riau Sofyan Franyata Hariyanto, Rokan Hilir Regent Bistamam, Acting Deputy Minister Secretary Al Muktabar, and Special Staff to the Vice President Achmad Adhitya were also present at the meeting.