An atmosphere of gratitude and emotion covers the hearts and expressions of the Ash-Habul Family Planning Manager Yamiin Al Khotibiyyah and the residents around the school who have returned to having normal classrooms and school facilities after 4 months of continuously carrying out learning activities in emergency tents which are vulnerable to rain and storms. Exactly 45 days after the laying of the first stone for the Indonesian Rapid Response School, this building has been perfectly constructed complete with beautiful furniture and murals as a result of the work of the Academic Community at the Universitas Indonesia (28/02/2023).
Present at the inauguration of this school Prof. Dr. Ir. DediPriadi, DEA. (Deputy Chancellor for Human Resources and UI Assets), Dr. Badrul Munir (Director of Student Affairs UI), Suparlan and Cindar H Prabowo as ILUNI UI functionaries, Budi Wasono as Head of Pro, Prof. Yandi Andri Yatmo, SICT Initiator, and Mr. Irfan Ferdiansyah from PT Citra Karsa Dinamika, were also present to carry out the inauguration and renovation of the school on Jalan Cipaku Sukawangi, Warungkondang District, Cianjur Regency – West Java.
“We want to immediately repair the Cianjur Education infrastructure which was devastated by the earthquake in November 2022. We and our friends from ILUNI UI, Iluni FTUI and FUSI Foundation agreed to have a constructive collaboration to build the Indonesian Rapid Response School (SICT) in Cianjur. We want to immediately reduce the post-disaster burden and trauma experienced by school children,” said Mr. Irfan Ferdiansyah, Director of PT Citra Karsa Dinamika (CKD).
As reported by BNPB Indonesia, the Cianjur Earthquake resulted in damage to various public facilities. Damage occurred to 540 educational or school facilities, 272 places of worship, 18 health facilities (faskes), and 18 buildings or offices.
The Indonesian Rapid Response School (SICT) is planned to be built in four locations affected by the Cianjur earthquake, namely Gasol and Cibereum Villages in Cugenang, Bangbayang Village in Gekbrong District and Sukawangi Village in Warungkondang District.
The SICT construction process began with dispatching a team to survey, measure and compile a feasibility study supervised by a Team from the Planning Cluster of the FTUI Architecture Department. Followed by an agreement between SICT and the school management and verification of the legal aspects of the land to be built. Fundraising is carried out utilizing a ‘Charity Auction’ to potential donors based on the proposed design and MoU with partners, in this case, PT CKD.
Dean of FTUI, Prof. Dr. Heri Hermansyah, ST., M.Eng., IPU said, “The damage to hundreds of schools has resulted in tens of thousands of teachers and hundreds of thousands of students having their teaching and learning activities disrupted. This evenly occurred in 16 sub-districts affected by the earthquake in Cianjur. For this reason, the restoration of the education sector in Cianjur Regency must receive priority in fulfilling students’ right to education.”
SICT is an idea that was born from FTUI researchers, Prof. Yandi Andri Yatmo and Prof. Paramita Atmodiwirjo and the Team from the Planning Cluster of the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, UI. The idea of this school comes as an effort to provide a fast and appropriate response while reducing the government’s burden. The SICT UI team mobilized all their resources, energy and knowledge to design disaster response schools in various disaster areas in just a short time, a maximum of two months.
“The schools that are established are expected to be able to bring back learning opportunities for Indonesian children. Especially for children affected by the disaster so that they don’t linger in the trauma of the disaster and the uncertainty of the assistance that is expected to be present. The construction of the SICT school is not only for the physical development of the school but also for building a fun learning ecosystem for Indonesian children, especially the survivors of the Cianjur Earthquake,” explained Prof. Yandi Andri Atmo.
Previously, ILUNI UI through the Alumni Care Center had inaugurated 20 temporary housing units called ANTARA out of a total of 50 units planned in Benjot Village, Cugenang District, Cianjur, West Java. Chairman of ILUNI UI Dr. Didit Ratam expressed his immeasurable appreciation and gratitude to all donors and parties who supported the construction of the 50 residential units between ANTARA and SICT in Cianjur.
Hopefully, SICT Warungkondang will provide broad benefits and blessings to all parties who have contributed to bringing back the smiles of optimism and reviving the fighting spirit of school children who were survivors of the Cianjur Earthquake some time ago.
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Bureau of Public Communications
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia