Multi-support to speed up post-quake education recovery in NTT

indonesianupdates.com_admin

3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Primary and Secondary Education Ministry said multi-stakeholder support has accelerated the recovery of education services following an earthquake in several areas of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Minister Abdul Mu’ti here on Monday said the ministry, in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, continues various emergency response efforts to address the earthquake’s impact on Flores Island, especially regarding education service recovery.

He said that support includes universities sending students for psychosocial assistance, humanitarian organizations helping meet basic needs, and the wider community also taking action.

“We are building collective strength to accelerate education recovery in Flores,” Mu’ti affirmed.

Referring to data as of August 23, 2026, he said the number of affected educational units in seven districts and 97 sub-districts totaled 1,918 schools.

He said 665 schools suffered severe damage, along with 6,927 severely damaged classrooms, while 141,207 students had their studies interrupted and 48,164 school community members were displaced. As a result, 785 schools proposed a need for 2,908 emergency classroom (RKD) units.

“As of Sunday (August 30), 89 tents have been installed to meet emergency classroom needs, nine tents are being delivered to schools from the East Manggarai Education Logistics Post, and two tents are being delivered from the Labuan Bajo Logistics Post,” Mu’ti said.

Beyond tents, the ministry deployed university students to provide mentoring and psychosocial services to victims during the learning transition period, part of its broader effort to restore learning that was halted at 1,221 schools.

The psychosocial mentoring sessions carried out by Diponegoro University’s Disaster Assistance Response Team (D-DART) took place in Ngada district on Friday (August 28) and at Woe Natarandang Elementary School in Bajawa on Sunday (August 30).

During the two-week to three-month learning transition period, the Ministry will also carry out sanitation facility repairs and conduct technical damage assessments.

Based on data compiled by the National Secretariat Team for Disaster-Safe Education Units (SPAB), the damage was not limited to classrooms but also affected 418 laboratories, 1,928 toilets, and 370 teacher residences.

“We appreciate all parties who have come together and taken action to help with education recovery in Flores,” Mu’ti said.