Beginning September 12, 2026, the Makassar City Government has mandated remote learning for students from early childhood education (PAUD) through junior high school (SMP) until September 19, 2026. According to statements from Makassar Mayor Munafri ‘Appi’ Arifuddin, this emergency directive serves as a tactical response to vehicle queues at local fuel stations that have disrupted urban mobility and traffic flow across the South Sulawesi capital.
Emergency Remote Learning to Curb Urban Congestion
The decision to transition students to distance learning (PJJ) follows friction on city streets as motorists line up to secure fuel. Queues at stations such as SPBU Pengayoman in Panakkukang district have spilled out into main thoroughfares, creating traffic bottlenecks.
Mayor Munafri Arifuddin explained that the temporary shift aims to alleviate peak-hour traffic generated by school drop-off and pick-up routines. By keeping children at home, the administration hopes to shrink the daily volume of vehicles on the road, allowing essential traffic and public services to move with fewer obstacles.
As reported by detikSulsel, Mayor Appi personally inspected field conditions at several fuel distribution points, including a station along Jalan Ratulangi in Mamajang district, after visiting the PT Pertamina Regional Sulawesi office on Jalan Garuda. The mayor emphasized that education will continue without interruption through digital channels rather than school closures, keeping students engaged from home while city infrastructure handles the distribution strains.
Ground Realities at Makassar Fuel Stations
Motorists waiting in the lines insist that the scramble for fuel stems from genuine scarcity rather than panic buying. Many drivers find themselves stranded with empty tanks simply trying to meet daily transportation needs. At SPBU Pengayoman, local enforcement personnel have stepped in to manage the situation, deploying five police officers to control traffic flow and two military (TNI) personnel to directly organize cars entering the refueling bays.
/data/photo/2026/09/10/6aa2731285f92.jpg "Photo: makassar.kompas.com")
According to coverage by ANTARA News Makassar, Munafri stated that the fuel queues must be addressed due to the impact on the economy.
Initiatives like the deployment of modular SPBU services aim to increase dispensing points and untangle the gridlock, as documented by ANTARA Foto.
Adaptive Governance and Future Evaluation
The municipal education office has finalized technical guidelines for the remote learning rollout, ensuring both public and private institutions implement the policy smoothly. City officials stress that the directive remains flexible, tied directly to supply chain improvements on the ground.
The emergency protocols will undergo continuous review as fuel availability stabilizes and distribution bottlenecks clear. Until supply levels return to normal, Makassar’s students will continue their studies from home, serving as an administrative buffer against the transit crisis gripping the city.
