Indonesia: Rescue Efforts Continue as Boarding School Collapse Kills Three,Dozens Trapped
East Java,Indonesia - Rescue teams are racing against time to locate and free dozens of students and teachers trapped after a building collapsed at the Al Khoziny Islamic boarding school (pesantren) on Monday. As of Tuesday, three deaths have been confirmed, and authorities fear the number could rise as the search continues.
The collapse of the three-story structure at the conventional Islamic school has prompted scrutiny of safety standards at religious institutions across Indonesia. Pesantren are unique to Indonesia, functioning as residential schools were students live, study, and practice religion under the guidance of a religious teacher, traditionally focusing on Islamic studies but increasingly incorporating general education. Unlike public schools, pesantren fall under the oversight of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, an area often characterized by limited regulation and monitoring.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs’ East Java office stated the incident serves as a critical lesson regarding construction safety within religious schools. The ministry has expressed its “deepest condolences” and pledged to closely monitor the distribution of government aid to those affected by the disaster.
Al Khoziny is one of thousands of pesantren throughout Indonesia, institutions that play a significant role in the contry’s religious and educational landscape. Oversight of these schools is often informal, with many operating without consistent regulation. The collapse is highly likely to intensify calls for greater government oversight and enforcement of building codes at pesantren nationwide.
