Disclaimer: This article is an editorial that highlights the problems in Indonesia today

PIKIRAN RAKYAT - Several students in two villages, Neglasari and Bantarpanjang, Sukabumi, West Java, Indonesia, face significant risks to their safety when traveling to school due to the necessity of crossing the Cikaso River via a damaged suspension bridge. 

“The suspension bridge connecting Neglasari and Bantarpanjang villages is the primary crossing point for the community. Consequently, many elementary and secondary school students are forced to use this bridge to cross the Cikaso River, even though it is in a state of damage and near collapse.” Said Neglasari Village Head, Rahmat Hidayat, in Sukabumi on Tuesday, 23 July 2024, as reported by Antara.

According to Rahmat, the bridge was damaged due to a massive flood a few months ago and has yet to be repaired.

Despite its poor condition, the bridge remains the main access for residents who want to cross from Neglasari to Bantarpanjang and vice versa.

He also felt worried seeing the students hanging on the remaining iron footholds of the bridge, because unwanted things such as falling into the river could happen.

In fact, other access routes are possible, but the distance is estimated at 10 km and the access is not adequate, taking almost 1-2 hours to cross from Neglasari village to Bantarpanjang and vice versa.

“If the river water is receding, they usually cross through the river, but the fear is that if there is a sudden flash flood, it can wash away anyone who is crossing,” he said.

He said his party had asked for help and written to relevant agencies to immediately build a permanent bridge but until now it had not been implemented.

Therefore, he coordinated with the Bantarpanjang village head so that the 2025 village fund would be partly allocated for bridge repair if assistance for rebuilding had not been implemented.

Meanwhile, one of the teachers of SDN Cibadak, Neglasari village, Leni Sumarni, said that this bridge is the main access for the residents, especially the students of the two villages, to cross.

With the damaged bridge, she, a resident of Bantarpanjang village, is forced to cling to the remaining iron of the bridge so that she can teach her students on time.

To cross the Cikaso River by hanging from the debris of the bridge and the river flow (at low tide) only takes 10 minutes. But if you use other access roads, it can take more than an hour.

“Every day I, the students, and the residents have to cross the river. Even when it rains, we are still desperate to cross so that we can reach our destination on time. We hope this bridge can be repaired soon because many students from the two villages who want to go to school have to risk their lives crossing this bridge,” she said.

At the same moment, a fifth-grade student of SDN Cibadak, Putri (12), said that at first she was afraid to pass by hanging from the suspension bridge structure but now she is getting used to it. She did this reckless action so that she and her colleagues could study at school.

However, he admitted that when it rains heavily, he is forced to take a day off for safety because he is afraid of falling into the river and drowning. In fact, the teacher also appealed to Putri and her colleagues not to force themselves to go to school for fear of getting injured.***(Politeknik Negeri Bandung/Ahyaithannisa Taufik)