Two Schools In Lebak Banten Collapsed, Injuring Five Students, There Are Still Hundreds Of Schools That Are Heavily Damaged

Head of the Lebak Regency Education Office, Wawan Ruswandi. BETWEEN/HO

LEBAK - A total of 993 elementary/junior high school buildings in Lebak Regency, Banten Province, were badly damaged and unfit for teaching and learning activities (KBM) due to limited local government budgets.

"The heavily damaged buildings consist of 775 elementary schools and 218 junior high schools," said Head of the Lebak Regency Education Office Wawan Ruswandi in Lebak, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, November 24.

Most of the damage to the school was the roof, cracked walls, the wood was brittle and the ground cracked and almost landslide.

"We received reports on Tuesday, November 23 that two schools collapsed and injured five students, fortunately there were no fatalities," he said.

The condition of the school that was damaged in Lebak Regency was because construction had not been carried out for a long time, he added.

Therefore, said Wawan, his party advised local school administrators not to use the damaged building space for teaching and learning activities, for fear of collapsing, especially when it was hit by bad weather, such as heavy rain accompanied by strong winds.

In fact, several schools, including SMPN 1 Cipanas, are expected not to be used by KBM, because the buildings are rotting with age and they are afraid of collapsing.

"We regret that the laboratory room of SMPN 1 Cibeber which collapsed and injured five students was used for the arts room, even though we had previously been warned not to use KBM, because the roof building was already fragile," he explained.

For the construction of the school, said Wawan, of course it will cost quite a lot if it is charged with local government budget allocations. Therefore, his party in 2022 for the construction of junior high schools will be financed by the Special Allocation Fund (DAK), while the number of elementary school buildings which are large in number is gradually derived from the local budget.

"We certainly need a long time if the condition of the school building is in good condition," he explained.

Meanwhile, a number of parents admitted that they were afraid that bad weather like today is often hit by heavy rains and strong winds.

"We ask children not to go to school, for fear of the building collapsing," said Samsudin, a resident of Muncang District, Lebak Regency.