Ricky and Radja No Longer Go Home from School When It's Almost Dark

The change they feel may seem simple.

Kupang (ANTARA) - That morning, the smiles on Ricky and Radja’s faces looked different. The two sixth-grade pupils of SD Inpres Naimata in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, walked towards their classroom with cheerful expressions.

There was no longer any anxiety about having to wait their turn to attend school in the afternoon or even the evening. For them, school now feels like a new place.

The classroom walls stand firm with fresh paint. The roof is no longer holed and will be safe when the rain falls. The learning space is brighter, ventilation is better, and the school grounds look tidier.

The change came after SD Inpres Naimata received assistance through the Education Revitalisation Programme, one of President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programmes to improve educational facilities in various regions.

However, the new building is only the visible part. What means more to Ricky and Radja is the change in how they spend their days as pupils.

“We used to attend in shifts because there weren’t enough classrooms,” said Ricky.

For years, the shortage of learning space forced the school to implement a shift system. Some pupils studied from the morning, while another group only came in the afternoon until the evening.

On certain days, lessons only ended when the sun began to set. For children their age, that was no easy matter.

When assigned the midday slot, they had to wait for hours at home before setting off for school. With the afternoon slot, tiredness often arrived before the enthusiasm to learn.

“Sometimes I felt sleepy in class,” said Radja with a bashful smile.

The journey home from school also became a challenge of its own.

While their friends at other schools were already playing or studying at home, Ricky and Radja were still sitting at their desks. When the bell rang, the sky was already darkening.

Once home, the time available for rest or homework grew ever more limited. Their parents were often worried when the children had to return home close to nightfall.

Now that story is just a memory. With the additional classrooms provided through the revitalisation programme, all pupils study together in the morning. There are no more shifts.

The atmosphere at school has changed too. Teachers can organise lessons more effectively. The children are fresher in class because they learn from the morning. After school, they still have enough time to play, help their parents, or revise their lessons at home.

For Ricky, the change makes it easier to concentrate.

“In the morning, I’m still fresh so I’m more eager to learn,” he said.

No more worries.