In disaster-prone regions, the resilience of education systems often determines how quickly communities recover. In West Java, Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has demonstrated how targeted intervention can protect not only physical infrastructure, but also the human ecosystem that sustains madrasah education.

Following floods and landslides in Pasirlangu Village, West Bandung Regency, the Ministry mobilised emergency assistance valued at IDR 596 million to support madrasahs, teachers, and students’ families affected by the disaster. The intervention addressed immediate humanitarian needs while safeguarding the continuity of learning in vulnerable communities.

A significant portion of the assistance focused on restoring teachers’ living conditions—recognising educators as central to educational recovery. Funding was allocated for the rehabilitation of severely damaged homes belonging to madrasah teachers, alongside temporary housing support for those displaced. These measures enabled teachers to resume their professional roles without prolonged disruption, reinforcing institutional stability at the school level.

The response also extended to families of students who lost their lives in the disaster, through bereavement assistance and support for dignified burial services. This approach reflects an understanding that education systems are embedded within broader social and familial structures, and that recovery requires attention to both institutional and human dimensions.

Speaking during the aid distribution, Minister of Religious Affairs Prof. Nasaruddin Umar highlighted the enduring social role of madrasahs as community-based institutions that continue to serve society even in times of crisis. The Ministry has since instructed its central and regional offices to maintain follow-up assistance and conduct further needs assessments to ensure recovery efforts remain responsive and inclusive.

By integrating disaster response with education sector resilience, the initiative underscores a policy orientation that views madrasahs not merely as sites of learning, but as anchors of community stability and long-term human capital development.