TargetNasional, Online — Mayor of Makassar, Munafri Arifuddin, conducted a sudden inspection (inspection) to SMPN 53 Makassar located on Jl. Samiun, Ujung Pandang District, on Tuesday (07/29/2025) at 08.40 WITA.
During the visit, Munafri, who is familiarly called Appi, immediately reviewed the condition of the school by walking from one classroom to another.
He greeted students and teachers, as well as encouraging students to continue to study hard and have high ideals.
“Hopefully everything will be a successful kid,” Appi said when talking with students.
When asked about ideals, one of the students claimed to want to become a soldier, and another aspire to become a doctor.
However, behind that spirit, Appi showed his firmness when he saw a number of damage in the school environment.
He seemed to shake his head, when he found a water channel (gutter) that was channeled to the front of the school yard and a damaged ceilings.
“This is a buffer school, it should be a proper alternative for students who are not accommodated in favorite schools such as SMPN 2, SMPN 5, or SMPN 6. But if the conditions are like this, who wants to glance,” he said.
Currently it is less desirable because of minimal facilities and lack of infrastructure maintenance. In fact, the traffic situation during school hours is also a complaint because it is prone to traffic jams.
He stressed that supporting schools such as SMPN 53 must receive serious attention in order to have their own charm.
“If the favorite school is full, the community must have an equivalent alternative. Then infrastructure and facilities in a buffer school like this must be improved,” he said.
This visit is a clear proof of the commitment of the Makassar City Government in ensuring equitable quality of education in all areas of the city, not only centered on superior schools.
In his direction, Appi instructed the Makassar City Education Office to immediately improve damaged facilities and expand the capacity of the study room.
At present, SMPN 53 only has three active classrooms, and Appi ensures that there will be additional new classrooms in the near future.
“I have conveyed to the Education Office to focus on repairing this school building. Starting from the classroom, sanitation, to the drainage area. Children must study in a decent place,” he said.
