Government to add 60,000 school revitalisations for disaster-affected areas in 3T regions

Padang (ANTARA) - Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti stated that the government will add 60,000 revitalisations for schools affected by disasters in Sumatra, including those in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions. “Insha’Allah, there will be an addition from the President of 60,000 educational units that will be revitalised, and this is a priority,” said Minister Abdul Mu’ti in Padang Pariaman Regency, West Sumatra, on Friday. Initially, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) prepared a budget for revitalising 11,000 educational units. However, President Prabowo Subianto added 60,000 more schools, making it a priority scale. Abdul Mu’ti explained that the additional 60,000 revitalisations are not only focused on Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, which were affected by hydro-meteorological disasters at the end of 2024. They are also allocated for severely damaged schools in other provinces across the country. “We target that this year they can be built, even though most are already underway. Insha’Allah, by the new academic year, they can be used properly,” he hoped. The fourth Asta Cita involves strengthening human resource development, science, technology, education, health, sports achievements, gender equality, and the empowerment of women, youth, and persons with disabilities. Specifically in West Sumatra, Kemendikdasmen has disbursed up to Rp1.3 billion to build seven schools consisting of 26 emergency classrooms due to hydro-meteorological disasters at the end of 2024. One of the emergency classrooms built by Kemendikdasmen is at SD Negeri 05 Batang Anai, Padang Pariaman Regency. The Minister ensured that all emergency classrooms will be built permanently for the comfort and safety of students and teachers.