House Commission X: School Renovation Programme Must Address Students' Basic Needs

Jakarta (ANTARA) - House of Representatives Commission X Chair Hetifah Sjaifudian has reminded that the school revitalisation programme must fulfil the basic needs of students and create a safe, healthy, and comfortable learning environment. “This school renovation programme needs to be implemented with clear standards and not stop at just repairing classrooms or building structures,” Hetifah said in a statement in Jakarta on Friday. She expressed appreciation for President Prabowo Subianto’s commitment to carrying out large-scale renovations and revitalisation of schools across Indonesia. According to her, the programme is not only about construction or building repairs, but also about ensuring every child has a place to learn that is safe, decent, healthy, and supports quality education. She noted that accelerating school repairs is important to address the disparities in educational facilities and infrastructure that still occur in various regions. Therefore, Hetifah paid special attention to the government’s commitment to ensuring the programme reaches disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost regions. She pointed out that clean, healthy, and adequate toilets are an essential part of the educational environment, yet remain a problem in many schools. She emphasised that improvements to school facilities and infrastructure must go hand in hand with improving the quality of learning. Physically improved schools need to be equipped with educational facilities that allow teachers and students to make optimal use of various learning resources. In this context, Hetifah appreciated the government’s policy of expanding the provision of interactive flat panels or smart digital screens in schools. “The addition of these digital screens is a positive step because school revitalisation must also prepare learning spaces that meet the demands of the times,” she said. She stated that children must have equal opportunities to utilise technology in learning, both in urban and remote areas. However, the provision of digital devices must be accompanied by increasing teacher capacity, availability of electricity and connectivity, as well as mentoring so that technology is used to improve the quality of learning. “We must not end up with devices that are available but not optimally used. We have to ensure teachers have the ability to utilise the technology pedagogically, not just turn the digital screen into a replacement for the whiteboard,” she said. The government needs to ensure the continuity of the programme from year to year so that the target is achieved while maintaining quality. “The target is large and the timeline is clear. Therefore, we need to ensure the budget planning is also consistent, the data on targeted schools is accurate, the implementation process is transparent, and the quality of work is accountable,” she said. “We must not chase quantity at the expense of quality,” she added. She also reminded of the importance of accurate needs mapping so that the renovation budget is directed to the schools that need it most, especially those with severe damage, limited sanitation, and inadequate learning facilities. “We need decent learning spaces, clean toilets, competent teachers, adequate learning tools, good connectivity, and an environment that supports children’s growth and development. All of this must go hand in hand,” she stressed. Hetifah added that House Commission X will oversee the implementation of the school renovation programme through its legislative, budgetary, and supervisory functions. “The President’s commitment must be translated into measurable policies and programmes that are directly felt by students, teachers, and the community,” she said. The commitment was conveyed by President Prabowo during his state address at the House of Representatives session and the submission of the 2027 State Budget Financial Note at the Parliamentary Complex in Jakarta on Friday. The President stated that the government is prioritising a large-scale school improvement programme alongside several other programmes. In 2025, around 17,000 schools have been revitalised. In 2026, the government is targeting the renovation of more than 71,744 schools, with all schools in Indonesia targeted for completion by 2029.