Govt urges wildfire-hit regions to optimize remote learning

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2 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Primary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti has urged regional governments in areas affected by land and forest fires to maximize remote learning facilities.

“We have issued a ministerial circular emphasizing that student safety is the top priority. Several regional governments in affected areas have also issued circulars temporarily shifting classes to remote learning, utilizing the facilities they have,” he said in Jakarta on Thursday.

He urged teachers and school administrators to wait until fire suppression efforts are fully completed and the smoke has cleared before returning to in-person classes to ensure student safety.

“While waiting for fire extinguishment efforts to conclude, children should continue learning from home to keep them safe,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni affirmed that the government is optimizing weather modification operations in areas with potential rain clouds to help put out the fires.

In a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday (August 26), he noted that rain remains the most effective way to extinguish wildfires, especially amid the dry season and the El Niño phenomenon.

“The government has been conducting weather modification operations since January to mitigate drought and potential fires, particularly by rewetting peatlands across several provinces,” Antoni said.

He added that Berau in East Kalimantan is one region that still has potential rain clouds to support weather modification.

Indonesia is intensifying efforts to fight land and forest fires in several regions as a strong El Niño phenomenon threatens to exacerbate dry conditions. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) predicts the fire risk will peak between August and September 2026.

Authorities have prioritized six provinces for firefighting operations: West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, Riau, South Sumatra, and Jambi.