School activities remain limited

KOMPAS/CORNELIUS HELMY HERLAMBANG

Students of state elementary school SD Inpres 1 and SD Inpres 2 in Lasoani, Palu, Central Sulawesi, are accompanied by disaster relief volunteers on Friday (19/10/2018) as they take part in learning activities in tents after their schools were severely damaged by an earthquake and tsunami that struck the region on Sept. 28. So far, many schools in Palu have not resumed classes because of the limited availability of post-disaster facilities and infrastructure.

PALU, KOMPAS – School activities in three disaster-affected regions in Central Sulawesi remained limited on Friday (19/10/2018), with a majority of students having their classes outdoors. Textbooks and stationery remained scarce. There are fears that such conditions, coupled with lasting psychological traumas out of fear of further earthquakes, may significantly affect students’ learning spirit.

Al Akbar Islamic elementary school principal Murnawati said in Petobo, Palu, that students had refused to go back to school as many classrooms had been severely damaged.

“In the past week, we have held classes in emergency tents along with students from four other elementary schools. It was hot and crowded. Of 200 students, only around 20 come every day,” Murnawati said at an emergency school in the Petobo shelter on Friday.

Anwar, 11, a student of the Al Akbar Islamic elementary school, said that going to school at the shelter was very uncomfortable, as the tent was hot and humid and there were no textbooks or stationery. Many of the students were confused on what to do as they had no textbooks.

“Even we [teachers] have no idea what to teach, let alone our students. Nowadays, we just spend time playing. We have yet to resume lessons. The school starts at 8 a.m. and finishes at 11 a.m.,” said SDN 1 Petobo state elementary school principal Marlina.

SMPN 21 Palu state middle school deputy principal Sawinah said that the continuation of learning activities would be determined by the construction of temporary houses. As long as temporary housing remains unavailable, parents may have no drive to send their children back to school.

“Right now, parents’ minds are focused on fulfilling everyday needs. Many school buildings are damaged. [Parents] may fear that the buildings will collapse with their children in it,” she said.

Central Sulawesi Education Agency head Irwan Lahace shared Sawinah’s sentiments, saying that he hoped trauma healing for children would soon begin.

“Teachers are urged to prioritize students’ psychosocial improvement. Learning will be useless if the students remain afraid,” he said.

Nevertheless, Irwan said, the agency would strive to facilitate the resuming of school activities through the provision of emergency tents. The agency has received 200 tents from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Of the 1,000 tents needed for emergency schools, only 20 have been established.

Separately, in Belgium, Vice President Jusuf Kalla conveyed his gratitude to the government and people of Japan for sending aid to disaster victims in Central Sulawesi. Kalla said this during his informal meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Brussels on Thursday (18/10) afternoon.

“We talked about our relationship with Japan. I also thanked [Abe] for Japan’s assistance in Palu,” Kalla said, as reported by Kompas journalist Hamzirwan Hamid.

Abe also said that Japan planned to extend further help to Indonesia. Kalla said that Indonesia would receive it with open arms.

“They will help to provide what Indonesia needs. I said that we will review it after the rehabilitation process,” Kalla said.

(CHE/IDO)