Ombudsman urges regions not to overlook education in disaster response

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2 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Ombudsman (Ombudsman RI) has reminded local governments not to overlook the education sector during disaster emergencies, including forest and land fires.

Based on initial monitoring of wildfire impacts on public services across affected provinces, Ombudsman RI found that education sector responses were inconsistent and often neglected because they rarely presented immediate life-threatening risks.

Ombudsman RI member Robert Na Endi Jaweng stated during a press conference in Jakarta on Wednesday that the approach to handling the education sector during disasters tends to be treated as business as usual.

According to him, local governments often assume schooling can simply be postponed or managed on an ad hoc basis without considering student safety.

Over the past month, Ombudsman RI conducted initial monitoring of the impact of forest and land fires on public services across nine provinces.

The nine provinces cover four key zones: Jambi and Bangka Belitung in the western region (Sumatra); West Kalimantan and South Kalimantan (Kalimantan); Southeast Sulawesi, Gorontalo, and West Sulawesi (Sulawesi); and Maluku and North Maluku in the eastern region.

Observations found that local authorities’ responses to student safety amid thick wildfire smoke varied widely.

Some regions implemented remote learning, others required students to attend in-person classes while banning outdoor activities, and some allowed school activities to continue as usual.

Robert noted that this inconsistent response mostly occurred in areas outside provincial or district capitals.

As a result, children’s health at school was often threatened by exposure to dense air pollution.

He warned that disasters like wildfires or earthquakes, whose impact can drag on for four to five months, pose a threat of learning loss, depriving children of their right to a proper education.

He emphasized that investment in the nation’s future must not be sacrificed due to slow disaster emergency responses.

“Therefore, the response to education issues must be treated just as seriously as the response to other disaster impacts,” Robert said.