President Prabowo Directly Oversees Post-Disaster Social and Educational Recovery in Sumatra

By: Ardi Wirabuana )*
 
President Prabowo Subianto is pushing for accelerated normalization of life for communities in Sumatra affected by floods, flash floods, and landslides. The government is prioritizing post-disaster recovery so that communities can gradually resume social, economic, and educational activities. This approach reflects the state’s commitment to not only being present during the emergency phase but also ensuring a comprehensive and sustainable recovery process.
 
The President’s visits to several evacuation posts in North Sumatra and Aceh demonstrate the head of state’s direct concern for the conditions of the affected communities. Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi explained that although the President had just returned from an overseas trip, he immediately went to the field to check on the condition of the evacuees and encourage accelerated response in the affected areas. The President’s presence is considered to provide morale support and ensure that all levels of government are working in a coordinated manner. ¬†
During a visit to the MAN 1 Langkat refugee post in Langkat Regency, the President confirmed that the emergency response process was underway and had now entered the recovery phase. The central government brought along several relevant ministers to ensure that the policies taken could be directly translated into technical measures on the ground.
 
According to Prasetyo Hadi, the President wanted to ensure that the handling, recovery, and rehabilitation processes were proceeding swiftly and were not hampered by inter-agency coordination issues.
 
The President also continued his visit to Aceh Province, specifically to the SMPN 2 Wih Pesam refugee post in Bener Meriah Regency. The government considered direct presence in the previously isolated area crucial to clearly observe the condition of the community and the obstacles faced in distributing aid. The central government confirmed that various recovery measures had been prepared, including repairing bridges, opening roads blocked by landslides, and restoring affected power lines.
 
In the process of normalizing people’s lives, the government is deploying all available resources, including air transportation support to reach difficult-to-access areas. This step is deemed crucial to ensure that aid distribution, infrastructure restoration, and basic services can proceed in parallel, allowing community activities to gradually resume.

As basic logistical needs begin to be controlled, the government is shifting its focus to broader recovery efforts, including the restoration of educational activities. The government believes that the continuity of the teaching and learning process plays a crucial role in maintaining the psychological stability of children post-disaster. By ensuring that schools reopen, children are expected to return to safe and structured routines, thus aiding their mental recovery process.

The Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah Yusuf, emphasized that school normalization is an integral part of the government’s comprehensive recovery efforts. He stated that the central and regional governments continue to work hard to ensure schools in affected areas can resume normal operations. This step is taken to ensure that children’s right to education is fulfilled even in the post-disaster situation.

The government also confirmed that no public schools were directly affected, but continues to provide assistance to schools that experienced disruptions due to the disaster. A special team has been deployed to help secure educational facilities and expedite the recovery of school environments. The government aims to quickly overcome obstacles in still-isolated areas by mobilizing all available resources.

Meanwhile, logistical support for affected residents in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra continues to be strengthened. The Ministry of Social Affairs recorded the distribution of buffer stock assistance worth approximately IDR 14.5 billion, as well as in-kind assistance through public kitchens and independent kitchens worth approximately IDR 4.5 billion. The presence of public kitchens at dozens of locations across the three provinces ensures that the community’s food needs are met during the recovery period.

The distribution of ready-to-eat meals is being carried out on a massive scale, with tens of thousands of packages of food produced daily at various service points. Regional governments, along with relevant ministries, continuously update the number and locations of public kitchens according to evolving conditions on the ground, ensuring that aid reaches the community effectively.

Recovering people’s lives after a disaster is inseparable from strong inter-agency coordination. The central government, regional governments, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and various related agencies are conducting intensive coordination to accelerate the restoration of basic services.r, including education and infrastructure. In areas still facing access challenges, road openings continue to ensure the smooth distribution of aid and public services.
 
BNPB data shows that the impact of the disaster in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra was enormous, with hundreds of fatalities, thousands of injuries, and millions of residents affected and displaced. This situation emphasizes that the recovery process requires measured and sustainable steps. The government ensures that efforts to normalize people’s lives will continue alongside infrastructure improvements, environmental restoration, and special attention for vulnerable groups, so that communities can recover and rebuild their lives more strongly.
 
)* The author is a public policy observer