Shining Light of Education from the East
“Thank you, Mr Prabowo, for your attention as our school received revitalisation funding for 2025. Thank you for hearing our pleas and complaints. We hope you will visit our school.”
From the easternmost tip of Alor, East Nusa Tenggara, Ferona Keren Balol, a student at SMA Negeri 3 Kalabahi, wrote a letter to President Prabowo Subianto. On a sheet of paper, Ferona described how she and her classmates wiped away sweat and tears at school.
The “sweat and tears” Ferona referred to were the uncomfortable classroom conditions due to noise from adjacent rooms separated only by thin plywood. The school building’s walls were fragile, and the roof failed to protect students from the scorching sun, causing them to “sweat profusely” during lessons.
“Our dream has finally come true. New rooms, new desks, new chairs—all brand new,” Ferona wrote. “A renewed spirit to chase future dreams and hopes.”
In Central Kalimantan, a digital interactive board (PID) was transported with great effort to SDN Tanjung Pusaka 1 in Pulang Pisau. A two-hour overland journey followed by a one-hour boat ride along the Kahayan River.
Upon arrival, students enthusiastically welcomed the PID. They lined up to escort the Central Kalimantan Education Quality Assurance Agency (BPMP) team carrying the board. After installation, students were amazed as their fingertips traced lines on the glowing surface. The board serves as a gateway to more meaningful classroom learning and a catalyst for continued education and pursuing aspirations.
Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti inspected the implementation of the Disaster-Affected School Revitalisation Programme at SD Negeri 8 Meureudu in Pidie Jaya Regency, Aceh, on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.
Ferona’s plea and the PID’s presence have become hope for millions of students who can now learn in safe and comfortable conditions. “Our education revitalisation focuses on disaster-affected schools, 3T (remote, frontier, and outermost) areas, and severely damaged schools to ensure all students learn in safe and suitable environments,” Minister Abdul Mu’ti said.
He explained the urgency of revitalising educational facilities due to high levels of damage to school infrastructure, including classrooms, inadequate sanitation, and insufficient laboratories. “The government is improving learning environments through renovations, new constructions, and facility provision to ensure safe and comfortable teaching and learning,” he added. The PID devices support equitable education and inclusive learning, addressing low literacy and numeracy rates, as well as disparities in access to quality teaching materials between regions and schools.
Director General of Early Childhood, Basic, and Non-Formal Education at Kemendikdasmen, Gogot Suharwoto, explained that revitalising schools in 3T and eastern Indonesia holds significant strategic value. “Every classroom built, every toilet and sanitation facility repaired, every library and school health room provided is part of a broader effort to deliver educational justice for Indonesian children,” he said. “Education revitalisation proves the state is present even in the farthest classrooms. In 3T and eastern Indonesia, school construction is not just about fixing buildings but ensuring children learn in safe, comfortable spaces.”
Through a self-managed scheme, according to Gogot, school revitalisation mobilises community participation. Schools are given space to build transparently and accountably, supported by professional staff and local residents, so benefits extend beyond classrooms to the local economy. “We want to ensure children in eastern Indonesia and 3T areas do not fall behind in receiving quality education. School revitalisation is a collective effort to bring a new face to Indonesian education.”
Revitalisation and digitalisation of schools reach from mainland to islands, ensuring safer, more comfortable, and higher-quality learning spaces. Educational equity is not just rhetoric—it is a tangible step for Indonesia’s children’s future. Let us all work together to strengthen learning spaces nationwide.