Government Accelerates School Recovery in Central Tapanuli

The recovery of educational facilities affected by disasters in Central Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra, is being continuously accelerated. This recovery effort is being undertaken to ensure that teaching and learning activities can resume in a safe and comfortable environment.

These actions are being implemented simultaneously for priority schools affected in Central Tapanuli, including SMP Negeri 1 Tukka.

The Chairman of the Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Acceleration Task Force (Satgas PRR) for Sumatra, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, stated that the central government has prepared a budget for the recovery of the education sector until 2028 through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

“We know that at the central level, we are also budgeting for Primary and Secondary Education, and funds have been released by the Ministry of Finance. The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education has established programmes for affected regions, including here, based on a scale of priority. Tukka is a priority,” Tito said in a written statement on Thursday (10/09/2026).

SMP Negeri 1 Tukka previously suffered significant damage. Mud inundated classrooms and the assembly hall, damaging several parts of the building, including the school ceilings.

Repairs have been carried out on various facilities, ranging from classrooms, the assembly hall, and staff rooms to practical laboratories. With the completion of these repairs, educational activities at the school can resume.

The repairs are being implemented through a self-managed mechanism using budgets from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, which are distributed directly to the schools. The government is also preparing implementation mechanisms through the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) or service providers, depending on the needs and conditions on the ground.

Tito noted that the self-managed implementation at SMP Negeri 1 Tukka is progressing well, as the school can utilise the budget according to the specific needs of the facility recovery. He expressed his appreciation for the management of the work by the headmaster and all related parties.

“It is good; the headmaster is doing a good job managing the self-managed project,” Tito concluded.

Tito emphasised that the recovery of educational facilities must proceed in parallel with the handling of other sectors, including the repair of residential houses, drainage systems, flood control infrastructure, and basic service facilities. The PRR Task Force will continue to monitor implementation to ensure an integrated recovery process so that the benefits can be immediately felt by the people of Central Tapanuli.