Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Higher Education Ministry will waive tuition fees for one to two semesters for students affected by the Sumatra floods and landslides, the ministry said on Monday.
“The UKT exemption covers students directly affected or from affected families,” Fauzan Adziman, the ministry’s Director of Research and Development, told lawmakers during a parliamentary meeting.
The recovery plan is scheduled to begin in January 2026, targeting affected students and universities across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.
In addition to tuition relief, the ministry outlined six recovery actions, including establishing public kitchens on campuses for students impacted by the disaster.
Flexible arrangements for Final Semester Exams will be implemented for students from affected families to ensure continuity of education.
The ministry also plans urgent donations through universities, including food, clothing, clean water, and deployment of health workers to affected areas.
A psychosocial support team will be formed for lecturers, students, and communities, collaborating with psychologists, student councils (BEM), and trained personnel to address mental health and trauma.
Assistance will also include learning facility restoration and the reestablishment of normal teaching and learning activities.
Further, the ministry will repair damaged social and educational infrastructure at affected campuses, supporting long-term recovery for universities in disaster zones.
Data shows 60 universities were impacted: Aceh had four state and 27 private universities affected, North Sumatra had one state and 13 private, and West Sumatra had nine state and six private universities.
Teaching and learning were largely suspended due to damaged infrastructure, evacuation, and disrupted access in disaster-hit regions.
The ministry reported that 1,306 lecturers and 18,824 students were affected by the floods and landslides across all impacted universities in Sumatra.
The tuition waiver and recovery measures aim to reduce the educational disruption caused by the disasters and ensure students can continue their studies safely.
