North Sumatra Elementary School Near Collapse, Governor Promises to Coordinate with Local Government

The appalling condition of State Primary School (SDN) 112329 in Padang Nabidang Hamlet, Pematang Village, NA IX-X Subdistrict, Labuhanbatu Utara Regency (Labura), North Sumatra, which is nearly collapsing, has gone viral on social media.

A video uploaded to an Instagram account shows the school building suffering severe damage and on the verge of collapse. The upload states that the school is still actively used for teaching and learning activities and has around 36 pupils.

The school is located directly opposite the building housing the kitchen for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, which was reportedly completed in a relatively short time.

“Do you remember the MBG building that was finished within a matter of weeks, across from a primary school whose condition is far from anything resembling decent? Deeply concerning,” said the account holder who uploaded the video.

The footage shows the school building looking old and dilapidated. Several sections of the asbestos roofing are broken and riddled with holes. A number of classroom doors are no longer installed, whilst the building’s floors show clear signs of damage.

“Let’s take a look together, one by one, at the classrooms in this school. Let’s start with the classroom at the very end. The asbestos is destroyed. The door is gone. This school is still active, still functioning like any ordinary school. The next classroom has a smashed door — look at the floor,” he said.

Damage is also evident in the teachers’ room. The ceiling is full of holes, whilst the door and windows have been destroyed. On several sides of the building, collapsed walls are covered with banners.

“Let’s take a look at the teachers’ room, but sadly it is no longer in use. No longer used. Because of its condition. There’s no door, no windows. The corrugated roofing has caved in,” he explained.

The school building, most of which remains semi-permanent, stands in an area surrounded by forest and oil palm plantations. The school does not even have toilets. Pupils must go to the river to relieve themselves.

“This school has no toilets. There is a building for one, but it is no longer used. If the pupils need to relieve themselves, they go to the river over there. Behind the oil palm trees there’s a river,” he said.

Responding to the viral video, North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution said he had not yet received a report on the school’s condition. However, he assured the public he would first verify the circulating information.

“I’ll ask first, alright? I’ll ask first,” Bobby told journalists at the North Sumatra Governor’s Office on Tuesday (4/8).

Bobby said that primary school matters are fundamentally the responsibility of district and municipal governments. The North Sumatra Provincial Government, meanwhile, holds primary responsibility for managing senior secondary schools (SMA) and vocational schools (SMK).

“It’s not that we don’t want to help. There are still many SMA schools that haven’t been sorted out either. That’s the provincial government’s main responsibility,” he said.

Bobby insisted he was not trying to shift responsibility onto local governments.

“I’m not passing the buck, no. It’s just that we shouldn’t go meddling in other people’s tasks when our own aren’t finished,” he said.

Nevertheless, Bobby stated he would convey the matter to the Regent of Labuhanbatu Utara. According to him, if the local government faces budget constraints in repairing the school, the North Sumatra Provincial Government is open to providing assistance.

Bobby claimed the North Sumatra Provincial Government allocates more than Rp400 billion in aid funds to district and municipal governments every year.