The Bekasi administration has allocated Rp 299 billion (US$21 million) of its 2019 budget to restore 9,686 damaged classrooms at elementary and junior high schools across the regency, the acting head of the Public Works and Housing Agency has said.

Iman Nugraha said that the plan to renovate 3,978 elementary school classrooms and 5,708 junior high school classrooms used 42 percent of the agency’s annual budget.

“We are renovating school buildings on a yearly basis. The [budget] surpasses that allocated for other infrastructure [projects],” said Iman, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

The school renovation budget allocates Rp 30 billion for constructing new school buildings, Rp 86 billion for new building classrooms in 39 schools and Rp 127 billion for rehabilitating damaged school buildings in 52 locations. The remaining amount is for procuring new furniture and renovating toilets.

The agency has been allocated Rp 699 billion, or 12 percent of the regency’s Rp 5.8 trillion 2019 budget. (vla)