Natuna Regent Encourages One-Roof Schools for Remote Areas

Natuna Regent Cen Sui Lan believes the ‘One-Roof School’ concept can be a solution for equitable education in remote areas or those with minimal populations. Cen Sui Lan stated that a One-Roof School is an educational model that integrates two levels of education, such as primary school (SD) and junior secondary school (SMP), in one location with integrated management. “We prioritise one-roof schools for regions with small populations,” Cen Sui Lan said in Natuna, Riau Islands, on Sunday (21/6). According to her, implementing this model allows the government to save on school building construction costs and the provision of supporting facilities and infrastructure. One of the areas planned to adopt this concept is Desa Selaut, an island village separated from the district capital and the administrative centre of Bunguran Barat Sub-district. Currently, Desa Selaut only has one primary school, SD Negeri 007 Selaut, where the number of students in each class group does not reach ten. The village also lacks a junior secondary school (SLTP). Consequently, every student graduating from SD Negeri 007 Selaut must continue their education in another area, requiring a sea journey of more than 30 minutes by speedboat. Building a new junior secondary school, she explained, would drain the budget significantly, as it would require not only constructing a building but also increasing expenditure on staff, including a new principal and their support team. “The number of students at SD Negeri Selaut is also small, perhaps not even six per class,” she noted. She explained that for the 2026/2027 academic year, the Natuna Regency Government plans to open a junior secondary education unit in Desa Selaut by temporarily utilising the SD Negeri 007 Selaut building until further policies are established. According to her, the presence of a junior secondary school in Desa Selaut is crucial to reduce the risk of maritime accidents that students might face when travelling to school. Furthermore, this step is expected to prevent population relocation driven by the need for children’s education. “We are concerned that after children complete their basic education, they will move away with their families. If this continues, the village could eventually become deserted,” Cen Sui Lan said.