Flores schools in Ende and Sikka reopen in emergency tents after quake

Labuan Bajo — Schools in Ende and Sikka regencies on Flores have reopened using emergency tents and borrowed rooms after the 15 August earthquake damaged classrooms, with at least one kindergarten and one junior high school now operating from temporary learning spaces.

At TK Sare Orha in Desa Rukuramba, Ende, twelve officers from the local police’s Samapta unit cleared debris and erected a classroom tent on Tuesday, 1 September 2026, so children could resume learning in a safer environment, according to local radio RRI and FloresPos.net.

RRI reported that the operation at TK Sare Orha began at around 09:25 WITA and finished at 13:30 WITA, with officers removing rubble around the damaged building before assembling the tent to serve as a provisional classroom. The broadcast said the tent is intended to function as a learning space until the main school building can be repaired and declared safe.

FloresPos.net likewise reported that twelve Samapta personnel were deployed to TK Sare Orha to clear the ruins and erect an emergency classroom tent following damage from the quake. Both outlets described the intervention as part of efforts to ensure teaching and learning can continue while reducing risks for young children.

SMPN 1 Maumere relocates students and staff

In Sikka, SMPN 1 Maumere has moved its activities out of its damaged building and into a mix of borrowed rooms and temporary structures after the school was deemed unsafe for use.

Reporting from Maumere, Tirto.id said 618 students, 48 teachers and 15 education workers from SMPN 1 Maumere were relocated to the Satuan Pendidikan Nonformal Sanggar Kegiatan Belajar (SPNF SKB) Sikka, around 1.5 kilometres from the original site. The principal, Maria Heliana, told the outlet that eight rooms at the SKB were prepared for teaching, with one additional room functioning as a library.

Tirto.id also noted that two tents were installed in the school yard to support the temporary arrangement, and that all students, teachers and education staff would conduct school activities at the SKB until further notice. A Medcom.id feature on the same school confirmed that classes were shifted to SKB Maumere and that two emergency tents supplied by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education were built there with help from police officers.

According to Tirto.id, in-person teaching for primary and junior high schools in Sikka resumed on Monday, 31 August 2026, after being suspended during the emergency period. The report said learning was scheduled to take place in the morning once per day, but did not specify detailed attendance figures.

Shortened lessons and wider tent use

A FloresPos.net report from Sikka described the first day of face-to-face learning on 31 August as limited to three hours, with school principals adjusting schedules while facilities were still being repaired. RRI later reported that 100 study groups at 22 schools in Sikka had been recommended to hold classes in tents because of building damage, highlighting the scale of temporary learning arrangements in the regency.

National and regional media have also documented broader impacts of the Flores earthquake on education infrastructure. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education recorded 253 damaged education units across Nusa Tenggara Timur, including facilities in Sikka and Ende, and prepared 50 emergency classroom tents as part of its response, according to coverage in Maklumat.id and Detik.com.

Trauma-healing for primary students

The disruption has extended beyond physical buildings. At SDI Iligetang in Sikka, deputy principal Maria Yuldensia Kila said students needed psychological support after the earthquake and took part in trauma-healing activities.

FloresPos.net reported that Sikka Regent Juventus Prima Yoris Kago visited the school on Monday, 31 August, interacting directly with pupils as part of efforts to reassure them during recovery. RRI later described a trauma-healing session at SDI Iligetang involving the regent, school staff and students, aimed at reducing fear among children affected by the quake.

Separately, RRI reported that police organised trauma-healing activities for teachers and students from SMPN 1 Maumere at the temporary SKB location in early September, underlining official concern for the emotional wellbeing of learners and staff at affected schools.

Available reports from Flores-based outlets and national media show that while schools in Ende and Sikka have begun reopening with tents and borrowed rooms, full restoration of buildings and normal schedules is still pending. Authorities have prioritised both physical safety and psychosocial support, but have not yet published detailed, school-by-school timelines for reconstruction.

Sources

• RRI Ende - Personel Samapta Polres Ende Dirikan Kelas Darurat Pasca Gempa di TK Sare Orha
• Tirto.id - Gempa Rusak Sekolah, 618 Siswa SMPN 1 Maumere Direlokasi
• Medcom.id - Di Bawah Tenda, Sekolah Tetap Menyala: SMPN 1 Maumere Bertahan Pasca Gempa
• Maklumat.id - 253 Sekolah Rusak Akibat Gempa NTT, Pemerintah Kirim 50 Tenda Darurat dan Dukungan Psikososial
• Detik.com - 253 Sekolah Rusak Imbas Gempa Flores M 7,7
• FloresPos.net