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View all search resultsWild elephant threat forces 11 schools to close in Aceh
Human-elephant encounters in Bener Meriah have resulted in multiple fatalities over the past decade. The most recent fatal incident occurred in February, when a farmer was trampled to death by an elephant while trying to drive it away from his farmland.
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This handout picture taken and released by the Environment and Forestry Ministry on Nov. 28, 2023, shows a female Sumatran elephant calf standing between her mother's legs at the Elephant Response Unit (ERU) camp in Margahayu, Kuala Penet, Lampung. (AFP/Environment and Forestry Ministry)
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leven schools in six villages in Bener Meriah regency, Aceh, have shifted to remote learning after wild elephants repeatedly roamed the area over the past week, raising safety concerns for students and residents.
The temporary measure took effect on Thursday and will remain in place until conditions are considered safe for students and teachers to return to classrooms.
The acting head of Bener Meriah's Communications and Information Agency said the decision to suspend in-person classes was intended to protect the safety of students and teachers.
"Children's safety is our top priority. The local administration recognizes the importance of education, but in an emergency like this, the safety of students and teachers must come first," he said on Thursday.
The local administration urged parents, schools and residents to remain vigilant and keep children away from areas frequented by wild elephants or potentially used as their crossing routes.
Bener Meriah Education Agency head Saidi said his office had received reports of elephants appearing near several schools.
"Two days ago, a school reported an elephant behind its premises. School officials said elephants sometimes enter the compound when the sky turns cloudy," Saidi told Kompas.com on Thursday.
