JAYAPURA – The Papua Provincial Government has begun preparing improvement measures for a number of its supervised schools after various basic infrastructure problems were found in the field. The findings came from direct inspections conducted by the Papua Vice Governor together with relevant regional agencies at several schools managed by the provincial government.

Acting Head of the Papua Education Office, Marthen Medlama, said the inspection covered science schools, vocational schools, and special schools. The activity involved the Papua Regional House of Representatives, the Public Works Office, and the Regional Development Planning Agency as part of efforts to synchronize follow-up measures.

From the inspection results, the most urgent issue was the availability of clean water. Several schools were reported to be experiencing water shortages, including in student dormitories, directly affecting both learning activities and the students' daily lives.

"If water is unavailable, the children's activities are clearly disrupted. This is a serious concern for the government," Marthen said on Friday (February 6, 2026).

In addition to clean water, the Papua Education Office also recorded physical damage to school buildings, ranging from ceilings and roofs to laboratory rooms. Limited learning support facilities, such as computers for exams, were also noted in the inspection report.

Marthen cited the condition of SMK Negeri 1 Jayapura as an example, saying it still requires further repairs even though some facilities had already been addressed in 2025. All of these findings have been compiled in a staff review and field report.

According to him, the report will be discussed with the Public Works Office and the Regional Development Planning Agency to determine the follow-up scheme, whether through budget revisions or planning for the following year. The regional government also noted that dormitories and teachers' housing at several schools were considered unfit.

The Papua Provincial Government reaffirmed its commitment to following up on these issues gradually in accordance with planning and budgeting mechanisms, so that the supervised schools can function optimally and support improvements in the quality of education in Papua. ***