The Paralysis Of The Education Sector Due To Disasters In Sumatra Needs An Extraordinary Response

JAKARTA Providing living expenses assistance for students affected by flash floods and landslides in various parts of Sumatra will greatly help students, according to economists.

The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek) said it would provide living expenses assistance of Rp. 1,250,000 per month to students affected by flash floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

This information was conveyed by the Director of Research and Development of the Ministry of Education and Technology Fauzan Adziman in a working meeting with Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives at the parliament complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday (8/12/2025).

The assistance was channeled through the Indonesia Smart Program (PIP) specifically for students who were victims of natural disasters. The total budget provided by the Ministry of Education and Technology is IDR 59.375 billion which will be given to 15,833 students affected by the Sumatra floods.

"The target is students affected by natural disasters, the cost of living is Rp. 1,250,000 per month or Rp. 3,750,000 for three months," said Fauzan.

In addition to affected students, lecturers who were victims of the disaster also received assistance. So far, said Fauzan, there are as many as 554 lecturers affected by the disaster who have been recorded. The affected lecturers will get IDR 4.5 million per month or IDR 9 million for two months.

"We are also preparing assistance for lecturers, especially those who are continuing their studies. The amount prepared is a total budget of IDR 4.986 billion for 554 lecturers. This is also specifically for lecturers who are continuing to study given several priorities," said Fauzan.

Not only that, but the government also ensures that it will not implement a drop out (DO) policy for flood victims in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

"We agree that no children do because they can't pay," said Fauzan.

It has been two weeks since flash floods and landslides hit Sumatra, the condition of the affected areas has not really recovered. The majority of educational services in Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra are paralyzed.

The Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) said that many schools were not easily recovered, because they were submerged in mud, collapsed, and even washed away by the current. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of students and teachers affected by the flood are still adrift without certainty when they can return to study properly.

The local Education Office admitted that it was constrained by the budget for emergency handling and rehabilitation. Assistance from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) worth Rp. 13.3 billion to support post-disaster recovery is still very small compared to the massive damage to school infrastructure.

The rehabilitation cost of one school that was moderately damaged could reach billions of rupiah. With IDR 13.3 billion for dozens of districts/cities in three provinces, this assistance is more symbolic than a solution," said National Coordinator of JPPI Ubaid Matraji.

More concerning, although the scale of damage and coverage of affected victims is very massive, President Prabowo Subianto has not set a national disaster status. This status relief is allegedly a problem for the lack and slow flow of funds and special resources from the center to accelerate recovery, including in the education sector.

"The damage to education infrastructure is very severe, the regional budget will clearly not be able to bear it alone. However, without the status of a national disaster or at least a statement of educational emergency status from the central government, the mechanism for funding and emergency logistics from the center is very minimal and hampered. As a result, the process on the road on the spot, "said Ubaid.

Untuk itu, Ubaid mendesak Presiden harus segera menetapkan status Bencana Nasional dan Mendikdasmen mengeluarkan Surat Keputusan Status Darat Darat Darat Darat Darat Pendidikan di wilayah terdampak. Status ini krusial untuk membuka akses terhadap Dana Kontinjensi (DAK fisik Darurat), anggaran mendesak (on-call) kementerian atau lembaga, serta memobilisasi logistik dan sumber manusia dari pusat secara masif dan terkoordinasi.

In addition to providing funds, the government must also accelerate the provision of emergency schools. The implementation must be accelerated, because the presence of emergency schools at disaster points and in evacuation tents is still very minimal. This emergency school must also ensure the issue of feasibility, security, and be equipped with supporting facilities (electricity, clean water, separate toilets, P3K) at all evacuation points or safe locations.

"Education is a basic right that must not be stopped, even in a disaster situation. The current paralysis of the education sector is an emergency that requires extraordinary responses. We urge the President and the relevant ministers to take a political decision that dares to save the future of children in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh. Don't let them become a generation that has been lost due to disaster and responsibility," he explained.

Not only students whose fate is now uncertain because many schools in areas are affected by disasters. Thousands of students also have to face tough challenges, including those who migrate.

Shortly after the disaster broke out, not a few netizens gave donations to students who migrated outside Sumatra. Assistance can be in the form of food, cash for tuition fees or daily living expenses, to temporary shelters.

Regarding the plan for assistance of Rp1,250,000 for students, Darmaningtyas education observers welcomed this positively. "I don't think it's a problem as long as the selection is fair, in accordance with the facts on the ground. Many people understand it," said Darmaningtyas when contacted by VOI.

"And I agree because in the next year their economy has not recovered," he added.

Contacted separately, a similar statement was made by economist from the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) Nailul Huda. People affected, said Huda, will definitely need help, especially direct cash assistance to survive, including for students.

"For students who are affected, I think the government should provide assistance related to UKT payments for the next few years. The government can waive tuition fees for those affected," said Huda.

"The definition of being affected must also be broad for students who are directly or indirectly affected. For example, students whose parents are affected by the disaster must also be given scholarships because the economy will definitely be disrupted. It will be more valuable to the community at this time because education cannot just break up," he said.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) together with the Ministry of Public Works estimated the budget needs for rehabilitation and reconstruction after the flood and landslide disasters in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, reached IDR 51.81 trillion.

This budget requirement can increase because the data collection has not been completely completed. Until now, the disaster management task force is still trying to restore basic facilities and infrastructure damaged by the disaster.

The budget requirement is up to IDR 51.81 trillion, with details of IDR 25.41 trillion for Aceh, IDR 12.88 trillion for North Sumatra, and IDR 13.52 trillion for West Sumatra.