253 Flores schools and education units affected after August 15 earthquake

Labuan Bajo — Indonesia’s education ministry says 253 educational units across seven districts on Flores were affected by the August 15, 2026 earthquake, while local authorities and aid groups have moved to keep classes running in temporary spaces.

In a press release posted by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, the damage assessment as of August 16 covered Ngada, Nagekeo, Ende, Manggarai, East Manggarai, West Manggarai and Sikka. The ministry said 199 affected units were under district authority and 54 were senior secondary, vocational and special education units under provincial authority.

The ministry said Manggarai recorded the highest number of affected schools with 104, followed by East Manggarai with 52, Nagekeo with 44, Ende with 39, Ngada with 35, Sikka with 27 and West Manggarai with 23.

Separate ministry materials cited in local reports showed the response moving from damage assessment to temporary learning and reconstruction. On August 24, Minister Abdul Mu’ti said the ministry would prioritize earthquake-affected schools in Flores under its revitalization program and had already distributed emergency assistance to schools and communities in Nagekeo and Ngada.

That same ministry update said teaching was continuing in temporary settings such as tents, open areas and emergency classrooms, while limited face-to-face classes were being phased back in for some students from late August into early September.

Local broadcaster TVRI reported on September 14 that 1,960 educational units in the affected area were still holding classes in emergency mode, out of 2,447 schools, while 487 had returned to normal classroom learning. The report also said the ministry had distributed 100 emergency classroom tents to seven affected regencies.

Temporary learning in Nagekeo

A report by FloresPos on September 14 described continued disruption at SDN Kaburea in Wolo Wae subdistrict, Nagekeo. The school was still using a self-provided tent as a classroom after the earthquake, with students learning in a restricted space while permanent buildings remained unusable.

The report said the tent doubled as shelter and classroom, and quoted a parent as saying lessons had continued despite the damage. It did not give a date for a full return to permanent classrooms.

Earlier ministry figures, cited in local coverage, said 785 schools had requested 2,908 emergency classroom units and that 89 tents had been installed by August 30, with more in transit to the affected area.

Beyond buildings, the disruption has affected learning materials, sanitation and teacher housing. The ministry data cited in local reporting listed damage to hundreds of laboratories and toilets, as well as teacher residences, adding to the challenge of reopening schools safely and consistently.

For many schools, the recovery phase now appears to be defined less by a single reopening date than by a mixed system of tents, temporary classrooms, partial face-to-face teaching and ongoing repairs.

Sources

• Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education
• TVRI News
• FloresPos