North Sumatra's Schools Rise from the Mud: Over 95% Ready to Reopen Despite Flood Scars
Aerial view of uprooted trees at an Islamic boarding school after flash floods in Aceh Tamiang, northern Sumatra, Indonesia on December 10, 2025. — AFP pic
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Monday, 05 Jan 2026 8:43 AM MYT
JAKARTA, Jan 5 — Schools in disaster-affected areas of North Sumatra are set to resume teaching and learning activities on Monday, with more than 95.23% declared ready despite lingering damage from recent floods and landslides, Indonesian authorities said.
In a statement on Sunday, Indonesia’s Primary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti said 1,157 of the 1,215 schools in the affected areas are ready to reopen, as the second school term begins nationwide.
He added that some schools will operate under temporary arrangements, including holding classes in tents, while others are still undergoing the cleanup.
“God willing, those schools will be ready for use by January 5 (tomorrow),” he said.
For educational institutions that have not yet fully recovered, Abdul Mu’ti said the ministry has prepared a specially designed curriculum, stressing that the approach will be adaptive and flexible, taking into account on-the-ground conditions without diminishing students’ enthusiasm for learning.
“What matters most is our spirit to rise again, our determination to continue learning, and our drive to pursue a better future,” he said.
Abdul Mu’ti also expressed appreciation to all parties involved in accelerating the recovery of the education sector in North Sumatra.
Media reports stated that the floods and landslides that struck Sumatra in late November claimed more than 1,000 lives, with 165 people still missing, while more than 250,000 victims were displaced. — Bernama
