EduAsiaNews, Jakarta — The rain had not fully subsided when news of a landslide reached Shalsabilla’s phone. The Communication Studies student at Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta (UPNVJ) learned that her family home in Sumatra had been buried by soil up to the roof. There was no longer any space fit to live in. Amid her family’s efforts to save themselves and whatever belongings remained, one question weighed heavily on her mind: what would happen to her studies?
Shalsabilla was not alone. Flash floods and landslides that struck Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra left a long trail of devastation: 1,030 people dead, thousands injured, and hundreds of thousands of homes damaged. From the wreckage, 31 UPNVJ students were directly affected.
In late November 2025, the South Jakarta–based university took action. Through a verification process of students’ domicile and the extent of disaster impact, UPNVJ distributed single tuition fee (UKT) assistance totaling Rp 148.9 billion. The aid was handed over at the UPNVJ Rectorate Building, serving not merely as an administrative figure but as a lifeline to ensure that students’ education did not wash away with the floods.
For Shalsabilla, the UKT assistance offered a pause from anxiety. She could refocus on assignments and lectures while her family struggled to recover from a home that was no longer habitable. “At least my studies can continue,” she said briefly.
A heavier burden was borne by Amla Sarani, a Management student from Central Aceh. Amid the floods and landslides, a member of her family was reported missing. Their house was severely damaged, and news had yet to arrive. The UKT assistance from the university became a source of moral support—a sign that she was not alone in looking toward her educational future amid loss.
The stories of Shalsabilla and Amla offer a small portrait of a major disaster that struck 52 regencies, injuring around 7,000 people, leaving 206 others missing, and damaging 219 health facilities. Student recipients came from various faculties, including Economics and Business, Law, Health Sciences, Social and Political Sciences, and Engineering.
For UPNVJ, the program extends its role beyond the classroom. Earlier, the university had also deployed volunteer teams to Aceh. Amid mud, floodwaters, and loss, the UKT assistance stands as a simple marker: education must not stop, even when disasters strike in succession. (www.upnvj.ac.id)
