Jakarta urges schools to hold regular disaster preparedness drills

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Jakarta Provincial Government has urged schools, whether newly constructed or rehabilitated, to conduct regular disaster preparedness drills to improve the readiness of students and education staff, particularly in multi-story buildings.

“I have instructed the Head of the Education Agency that there must be frequent drills on how to anticipate disasters. While we certainly hope such events never occur, it is always better to be prepared,” Jakarta Deputy Governor Rano Karno said in Jakarta on Friday.

Rano made the statement during visits to Public Elementary School (SDN) Lebak Bulus 04, Public Junior High School (SMPN) 299, and SDN Cilandak Barat 08. He noted that school buildings in Jakarta now frequently reach five to six stories, making disaster preparedness increasingly important.

He said schools must ensure that everyone in the school community understands the appropriate steps to take during emergencies, such as earthquakes.

He also emphasized that modernizing educational infrastructure should involve more than constructing new buildings. It should provide tangible benefits to students and teachers by ensuring that learning environments are comfortable, safe, inclusive, and clean.

“The most challenging part for us is maintenance. Building something is easy; a project might be completed in a year, but maintenance is an ongoing, year-after-year responsibility,” Rano said.

During the visits, Rano inspected the construction of SDN Lebak Bulus 04 and SMPN 299 Jakarta, as well as the rehabilitation of SDN Cilandak Barat 08.

The construction projects at SDN Lebak Bulus 04 and SMPN 299 Jakarta had a combined contract value of Rp70.49 billion, covering a land area of 4,160 square meters and a total building area of 9,724 square meters.

Meanwhile, the rehabilitation of SDN Cilandak Barat 08 cost Rp31.42 billion, covering a land area of 2,200 square meters and a building area of 4,529 square meters.

The facilities include disability-friendly access, elevators, fire protection systems, sports amenities, and green open spaces.

The buildings were also designed with energy efficiency in mind, featuring solar panels, optimized air circulation, and natural lighting.

Rano expressed hope that the newly constructed and rehabilitated facilities would be properly maintained to ensure they remain safe and usable over the long term.

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Translator: Luthfia Miranda Putri, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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