Indonesia Plans Massive Revitalization for 71,000 Schools Nationwide

RRI.CO.ID, Jember - The Indonesian government is ramping up its national school revitalization drive, with plan to repair more than 71,000 educational facilities in 2026. To meet this goal, the Elementary and Secondary Education Ministry is proposing additional funding for 60,000 more damaged buildings.

As reported by Antara, this effort builds on last year's success, where authorities fully revitalized 16,167 schools nationwide at 100% completion. Elementary and Secondary Education Minister, Abdul Mu'ti, made the announcement while inaugurating upgrades at Public Junior High School 1 Balung in Jember Regency, East Java on Saturday, February 21, 2026.

"Revitalization is part of the national priority program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto to strengthen education quality through improved facilities and infrastructure," he said.

The minister emphasized the program's role in ensuring Indonesian children learn in decent, quality spaces. The revitalization process will continue in 2026.

Currently, 11,470 schools are allocated in the 2026 state budget, with the ministry seeking extra funds to cover the additional 60,000. Approval of this proposal would help meet the overall target of more than 71,000 revitalizations nationwide.

"I hope that before 2029, all schools in Indonesia can be touched by the revitalization program gradually," said the Minister.

He explained that 2026 implementation would use a school self-management system based on ministry research, speeding up physical repairs while boosting efficiency. The approach also prioritizes local workers and materials to stimulate regional economies.

"Construction materials will be prioritized from local shops, and labor will involve surrounding communities," he said.

Jember Regent, Muhammad Fawait, reflected on the district's steep educational hurdles during the event. As East Java's third-most populous regency, Jember grapples with high poverty rates, including the province's highest extreme poverty figures.

At the start of his term, data revealed 1,532 heavily damaged school buildings in the regency, not even counting those with minor or moderate damage. Fixing this relied heavily on central support, as local budgets alone proved insufficient.

The regent stressed education's role in breaking poverty cycles, prompting him to lobby in Jakarta with accurate data. His administration overhauled the Basic Education Data system (Dapodik) for transparency, which damaged schools reported as such, without exaggeration.

"If facilities are lacking, don't force it. Data honesty is the key," he said.

The effort paid off in 2025, when Jember secured its largest-ever allocation, covering 124 schools. "The Jember Regency Administration is again proposing more than 300 heavily damaged schools for 2026. This submission aims for those schools to enter the follow-up revitalization program," noted the Regent.

He urged continued central government backing to accelerate infrastructure improvements, viewing the program as both an educational boost and local economic stimulus. "The government never neglects education quality," he affirmed. ***