Jembrana Regency Proposes People's School, Prepares 5.9 Hectares of Land
The Jembrana Regency administration has proposed the construction of a people’s school to the central government. The administration has also prepared 5.9 hectares of land in Melaya District for the development.
Jembrana Regent I Made Kembang Hartawan revealed that the education sector in the region is facing significant challenges. According to him, Jembrana is currently experiencing a teaching staff crisis due to a wave of retirements. “This year, 58 teachers are retiring. Overall, Jembrana still lacks around 210 teachers,” Kembang stated. “We are not permitted to hire contract or honorary teachers. Therefore, we hope the proposed teacher formation submitted to the central government can be approved,” he added.
Beyond the teacher shortage, the condition of a number of educational infrastructure facilities in Jembrana is also concerning. The regency administration has recorded that 44 school buildings in the area are damaged. “Of that number, nine schools were repaired last year. This year we are only able to repair five schools due to budget constraints,” Kembang explained.
To navigate these issues, the Jembrana administration has been forced to regroup or reorganise teaching staff to ensure a more even distribution. Additionally, the administration is looking into a Ministry of Religious Affairs programme to propose the construction of a Hindu-based school. “This programme covers all costs, from teachers and buildings to operations, borne by the central government. It also includes dormitories, which can help reduce the burden on the region,” the PDIP politician added.
Kembang hopes the proposal to build a people’s school in Jembrana will be approved by the central government. He confirmed he has coordinated online with the Ministry of Social Affairs regarding the proposal. “We have proposed the Sekolah Rakyat and prepared 5.9 hectares of land provided by the Bali Provincial Government. The location is in Melaya District,” Kembang said.
Kembang believes the presence of a people’s school can be a solution to prevent children from underprivileged families from dropping out of school due to economic pressures. Moreover, the boarding school concept is free with complete facilities fully funded by the central government. If the proposal is approved, the people’s school could accept students from all over Jembrana and will accommodate education levels from primary school, junior high school, to senior high school.