Aid helps two Manggarai Barat madrasahs continue classes after Flores quake

Labuan Bajo — The Manggarai Barat office of Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has delivered emergency learning support to two madrasahs affected by the Flores earthquake, using tarpaulins and ropes to help set up temporary classrooms and distributing snack packages for students, according to local officials and media reports.

The assistance was channelled to MIN 2 Manggarai Barat and MTs Nurul Taufiq Bari on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, as part of post-quake efforts to keep education running in damaged school facilities.

According to a regional report by Radio Republik Indonesia, the aid consisted of tarpaulins and binding rope provided by Bank Syariah Indonesia’s Labuan Bajo branch, alongside hundreds of snack packages supplied through a collaboration between the national Ministry of Religious Affairs and OT Group.

The delivery was led by Manggarai Barat Religious Affairs Office head Fransiskus Xaverius Adi, accompanied by Islamic Education Section head Jerudin. School principals Nasrul More of MIN 2 Manggarai Barat and Mahyudin of MTs Nurul Taufiq Bari received the supplies on behalf of their students.

Temporary learning spaces after a major quake

The tarpaulins and ropes are intended to support the creation of temporary learning spaces so that students can continue lessons at a safer distance from buildings affected by the quake. RRI reported that the madrasah buildings had suffered cracks and that existing structures remained a concern while recovery work is pending.

The Manggarai Barat Religious Affairs Office linked the assistance directly to the magnitude 7.7 Flores earthquake of 15 August 2026, which triggered extensive aftershocks and damage across parts of Nusa Tenggara Timur, including schools and madrasahs. National monitoring agencies have noted tens of thousands of aftershocks following the main event.

MIN 2 Manggarai Barat is also undergoing construction, its principal told RRI, and the temporary space will allow students to study further from sections of the building affected by the earthquake. The local Religious Affairs Office said the measures are aimed at maintaining the continuity of classes while ensuring that teachers and students can learn in safer conditions.

Food support for students in recovery

Alongside the emergency classroom infrastructure, the collaboration with OT Group is focused on student welfare through snack packages distributed to madrasah pupils. Officials described this as a way to offer attention and support for children during the post-disaster recovery period, complementing the physical arrangements for learning.

The Manggarai Barat Religious Affairs Office has also been involved in broader post-quake education support in the district. Earlier in September, the Minister of Religious Affairs visited Manggarai Barat and announced emergency education assistance including temporary learning spaces and school kits, underscoring the priority placed on keeping schooling active despite damaged facilities.

At MTs Nurul Taufiq Bari, principal Mahyudin welcomed the aid, saying it would help ensure educational activities can continue while the school navigates the impacts of the earthquake. Local education officials indicated they will keep monitoring conditions at affected madrasahs and assess further needs as recovery progresses.

Ongoing assessment of education needs

The support is designed to sustain basic learning continuity rather than directly fund structural repairs of school buildings. National agencies such as the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) have been conducting field surveys and damage assessments to inform mitigation and reconstruction plans across the affected region.

As Manggarai Barat’s schools adapt to teaching in temporary spaces, authorities continue to balance immediate safety and welfare concerns with the longer-term tasks of rebuilding damaged education infrastructure.

Sources

• RRI.co.id - Kemenag Mabar Salurkan Bantuan untuk Pemulihan Pembelajaran Madrasah Terdampak
• Suara.com - 15.722 Gempa Susulan Terjadi Usai Flores Diguncang M7,7, BMKG Ungkap Kondisi Terkini
• TribunFlores.com - Gempa Susulan Flores Capai 13.156 Kali hingga 7 September 2026
• BMKG - Gempa Flores Meluruh, BMKG Ungkap Hasil Survei Lapangan sebagai Basis Mitigasi dan Rekonstruksi (Berita Utama)