School to be built on stilts to avoid floods

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration will build a school on raised platforms in the Kebon Baru flood-prone area in South Jakarta this year, an official said yesterday.

The head of the City Education Agency, Soeparmo, said the Kebon Baru state-primary school was severely flooded last year.

"Almost all the school's documents were destroyed. So we decided to reconstruct it on-raised platforms to prevent the documents from floods," he said.

He said the municipality had set aside Rp 1 billion (US$417,710) to build the school, adding that building a school on raised platforms cost more than a "normal" construction.

"We're only able to build one school on raised platforms for now," Soeparmo said. "The construction is expected to start between May and June," he added.

"Ideally, all schools in flood-prone areas should stand on raised platforms," Soeparmo said.

He said the students would be temporarily transferred into nearby schools.

The agency recorded that 300 primary schools in the city were in poor condition and needed repair. SDN Kebon Baru is one of 16 schools that need total renovation.

In last year's flood, the worst hit schools were two in Petamburan, Central Jakarta, two in Kebayoran Baru and Pengadegan, South Jakarta, and two in Bidara Cina and Cililitan, East Jakarta.

The city now has 1,172 primary schools used by 2,558 morning and afternoon schools. (ste)