TAPANUL TENGAH | INDATANEWS.COM - Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, together with North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution, inspected the progress of rehabilitation and reconstruction work at SMA Negeri 1 Barus in Tapanuli Tengah Regency on Friday, September 4, 2026. The visit was part of the government's efforts to ensure that the restoration of educational facilities damaged by the disaster is progressing according to plan.
SMA Negeri 1 Barus was the first stop for Vice President Gibran during his working visit to
Tapanuli Tengah Regency. Located in Barus District, the school was among the educational facilities affected by the hydrometeorological disaster that struck the region in November 2025.
The visit also provided the government with an opportunity to directly assess the condition of the educational facility after rehabilitation and reconstruction work had begun. The government aims to ensure that the school can once again provide a safe and comfortable learning environment for students in areas affected by the disaster.
Vice President Ensures School Safety
Upon arriving at SMA Negeri 1 Barus, Vice President Gibran, Governor Bobby Nasution and the delegation received a presentation on the progress of rehabilitation and reconstruction work at the school building. The presentation was delivered by SMA Negeri 1 Barus Principal Fahman Pardosi using a smartboard display.
The presentation covered progress on building repairs as well as the procurement of various facilities needed to support teaching and learning activities. The government is also assessing the school's needs to ensure that the restoration process does not focus solely on the physical structure, but also enables the educational facility to function optimally once again.
Following the presentation, Vice President Gibran and Governor Bobby Nasution visited several classrooms. They directly observed the condition of the building and facilities that had already undergone repairs.
Most of the school building is now in better condition than it was immediately after the disaster. The government will continue monitoring the work to ensure that rehabilitation proceeds according to plan and that learning activities can continue smoothly throughout the recovery period.
"One important aspect of post-disaster recovery is ensuring that children can learn safely and comfortably while remaining motivated to pursue their goals," the Vice President said.
The statement underscores the government's attention to maintaining educational activities following a disaster. In addition to restoring infrastructure, the government must ensure that students can resume their studies under appropriate conditions.
Vice President Gibran and Governor Bobby Nasution also called for the acceleration of ongoing work. The government aims to complete all rehabilitation measures as soon as possible so that the school's facilities can be fully utilized again.
ENSURING STUDENTS CAN RETURN TO LEARNING:
Vice President
Gibran Rakabuming Raka emphasizes the importance of ensuring that children can return to learning safely and comfortably after the disaster while remaining motivated to pursue their goals. (PHOTO: Imam Syahputra)
Bobby Calls for Faster Completion of Work
North Sumatra Governor
Bobby Nasution subsequently instructed his staff to immediately complete construction work under the authority of the
North Sumatra Provincial Government. He stressed that the work needed to be accelerated so that all targets could be achieved jointly by the end of the fiscal year.
According to Bobby, the provincial government must also ensure that every repair requirement falling within its authority is addressed promptly. Coordination with the relevant agencies is an important part of the process to prevent any work from being stalled during the school's recovery.
"Anything under the province's authority must also be accelerated. This includes coordination if there is still anything that needs to be improved at this school. After all, this is an area that was affected by a disaster at the end of last year," the governor said.
Bobby said the government must not neglect educational facilities affected by the disaster. Accelerating rehabilitation and reconstruction work is essential because schools play a central role in ensuring that children can continue to exercise their right to education even after a disaster.
Bobby also reminded his staff to maintain coordination in carrying out various projects in affected areas. Provincial governments, regency and municipal administrations, as well as the central government, must work in coordination so that the recovery process can move forward more effectively.
Since the hydrometeorological disaster struck North Sumatra in November 2025, Bobby has repeatedly visited various affected locations. The visits are part of the government's efforts to monitor disaster management, from mitigation and damage assessment through the rehabilitation and reconstruction phases.
ACCELERATING SMA NEGERI 1 BARUS REHABILITATION:
North Sumatra Governor
Bobby Nasution calls on his staff to accelerate rehabilitation and reconstruction work in disaster-affected areas under the authority of the
North Sumatra Provincial Government. (PHOTO: Imam Syahputra)
Tapanuli Tengah Among the Affected Areas
The hydrometeorological disaster that hit
North Sumatra affected at least 18 regencies and cities.
Tapanuli Tengah Regency was among the areas that suffered significant impacts from the disaster.
For this reason, the government has paid particular attention to the restoration of various sectors in Tapanuli Tengah, including educational facilities. Restoring schools is crucial because educational activities for the community must continue even while affected areas are undergoing rehabilitation.
"We regularly visit several locations affected by the disaster. Through these visits, we want to ensure that measures ranging from mitigation to post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction are being properly implemented. Regarding schools, we greatly appreciate the measures taken by the central government, which continues to work in all areas affected by the disaster to this day. Of course, the
North Sumatra Provincial Government, as a representative of the central government, also has a responsibility," he stressed.
Bobby reaffirmed that the North Sumatra Provincial Government would continue to fulfill its responsibility in supporting the recovery of affected areas. Regular monitoring is necessary to track the progress of the work while also identifying outstanding needs that require further action.
The visit to
SMA Negeri 1 Barus demonstrates that post-disaster recovery involves more than rebuilding damaged infrastructure. The government must also ensure that communities can resume their normal activities, including students who depend on safe learning spaces.
After inspecting SMA Negeri 1 Barus, Vice President Gibran and Governor Bobby Nasution continued their working visit to several other locations affected by the disaster. The delegation also inspected sites designated for permanent housing, known as Huntap, in Sibolga and South Tapanuli.
The series of visits was part of the government's direct monitoring of rehabilitation and reconstruction progress following the disaster in
North Sumatra. The central and regional governments continue to work to ensure that the recovery process meets its targets and delivers direct benefits to communities affected by the disaster.
(IDNC)REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala