Indonesian Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Inspects Collapsed School in Bangkalan
Bangkalan (ANTARA) - The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education of the Republic of Indonesia (Mendikdasmen RI), Abdul Mu’ti, inspected SDN Kajuanak 4 in Galis Subdistrict, Bangkalan, East Java, which had collapsed, on Friday.
“I came here to ensure the condition of the school that has applied for the revitalisation programme,” he said.
Mu’ti was welcomed at the school by the principal of SDN Kajuanak 4, teachers and pupils, village officials, and officials from the Bangkalan Regency administration.
SDN Kajuanak 4 is one of the educational institutions recorded as severely damaged due to a natural disaster that struck the area in 2025.
Several facilities were damaged, including classrooms, the administrative room, and the school health unit. Teaching and learning activities have been forced to take place under emergency tents and on residents’ verandas.
Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti explained that, based on records from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, SDN Kajuanak 4 has applied for a revitalisation programme consisting of rehabilitating four classrooms, rehabilitating one administrative room, constructing two classrooms, building one toilet package, and constructing one school health unit (UKS) room.
According to the schedule, in May 2026, it will enter the finalisation of documents and will soon be signed by the relevant parties.
“Not long from now, this school will be revitalised,” he said, met with applause from the teachers, pupils, and parents present at the event.
Mu’ti then laid the first stone, as a sign of the government’s seriousness in repairing the school.
He recounted that initially, around 24 November 2025, the school building suddenly collapsed due to heavy rain accompanied by strong winds that hit the area.
“Fortunately, there were no teaching and learning activities at the time of the incident, because the disaster occurred outside school hours,” he said.
He, along with the teachers and pupils, then conducted teaching and learning activities (KBM) outside the building, such as in open areas covered with tarps, and some borrowing space on residents’ verandas.
“I was informed by the Bangkalan Education Office a day before the Minister’s visit here. This was truly beyond my expectations. To be honest, my team and I felt like we received a very beautiful gift, unexpected and unforeseen that the Minister would come directly,” said Ningsih.
Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti also took the opportunity to dialogue with the Head of Kajuanak Village, Marsit, to confirm the status of the land occupied by the school, as it had previously been reported to the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in a dispute.
“It’s safe now, Mr Minister. The dispute has been resolved,” said Village Head Marsit.