Lesson video

Hello and welcome.

My name's Ms. Harrison, and I'm so excited to be learning with you today.

Today's lesson is called "Challenges caused by rapid urban population growth: housing".

Grab everything you might need for today's lesson and let's begin our learning.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to explain how rapid population growth in Jakarta has led to housing issues.

Before we can begin this learning, we need to define the keywords that we'll be using throughout today's lesson.

The keywords in today's lesson are kampung, infrastructure, and cholera.

Kampung.

These are informal settlements in Indonesian cities that are self-built without planning permission.

Homes are overcrowded, poorly constructed, and lack basic services.

Infrastructure.

These are the basic services and facilities needed for a city to function, such as water supply, electricity, sewage systems, transport, and waste collection.

Cholera.

This is a waterborne disease caused by bacteria in contaminated water or food.

It spreads quickly in areas with poor sanitation and can cause severe diarrhoea and dehydration.

Now that we've defined these keywords, we can begin our learning.

The first question we're going to explore in today's lesson is, why can't everyone in Jakarta access safe housing? Jakarta is one of the largest cities in the world.

It's a mega city with a population of over 11.

6 million in the city itself, and more than 30 million people living in the greater Jakarta area.

This makes Jakarta not only the capital of Indonesia, but also a major urban centre on a global scale, larger than many entire countries in terms of population.

What are the main causes for Jakarta's rapid population growth? Pause the video here whilst you have a think and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answers.

A student has said, "The main cause of Jakarta's rapid growth is rural to urban migration," and that's correct.

Well done if you managed to get that as well.

Many residents in Jakarta cannot access official housing, because there simply isn't enough of it, and what is available is often too expensive.

Between 2003 and 2023, housing demand quadrupled, rising from four million to 16 million homes, but the number of homes actually being built hasn't kept up.

In 2023, only six million homes were built, meaning just 38% of demand was met.

That leaves a shortfall of 10 million homes across the city.

To keep up with population growth, Jakarta needs around 800,000 new homes each year, but this target hasn't even been met.

As a result, many residents are forced to live in informal housing or overcrowded areas, where living conditions are often poor and access to services is limited.

Which year had the largest difference between demand for and supply of housing in Jakarta? A, 2003, B, 2008, C, 2018, D, 2023.

Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is D, 2023.

Well done.

How much did the housing demand increase between 2008 and 2023? Pause the video here whilst you identify the correct answer, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The correct answer is C.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

The cost of housing in Jakarta is rising quickly, making it unaffordable for many low-skilled workers.

On average, a low-skilled worker earns around 5.

4 million IDR per month.

That's around 270 pounds.

But renting a one-bedroom apartment in the city costs around 6.

7 million IDR, which is around 340 pound per month, more than an entire month's wage.

Even on the outskirts, where rent is lowered at around 4.

05 million IDR, around 200 pounds, it still takes up around 75% of a low-skilled worker's income.

With such high housing costs and low wages, many people are unable to afford formal housing, and are forced to look for cheaper, often informal, or overcrowded alternatives.

Many people in Jakarta live in informal settlements known as kampungs.

These are areas where residents build their own homes without official planning permission.

The housing in kampungs are often densely packed, and around 40% of families live in just one room.

Because affordable housing is limited, people are forced to build homes themselves, often using basic materials without proper construction support.

Kampungs are often built on unstable or unsafe land, such as riverbanks or flood-prone areas, because there are few options available.

Most residents have no access to formal infrastructure like clean water, sewage systems, or waste collection, making everyday life difficult or unsafe.

These settlements highlight the housing crisis in Jakarta, where rapid growth has outpaced the city's ability to provide safe, affordable homes for all.

I would like you to identify which statements are true and which are false.

Pause the video here whilst you have a look, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's go through this.

For A, kampungs are formally planned and approved by the city authorities.

This is false.

For B, kampung buildings are made with high quality, long-lasting materials, this is also false.

For C, houses in kampungs are often built very close to each other, this is true.

For D, kampungs usually have modern waste disposal and sanitation systems, this is false.

And for E, some kampung homes are built on unstable ground near polluted water.

This is true.

Well done if you identified those correctly.

Aisha and Sofia are having a discussion about whether living in kampungs is a choice or a wider urban problem.

Who is correct? Pause the video here whilst you read their answers, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The correct answer is Sofia.

I would like you to explain why.

Pause the video here, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The reason why Sofia is correct is because living in kampungs is mainly due to Jakarta's housing shortage.

800,000 homes are needed each year, and the housing gap is over six million.

Well done if you managed to explain that correctly.

I would like you to describe what the graph shows about the housing demand and housing built in Jakarta between 2003 and 2023, using the graph on your screen.

Alex said, "I'm going to make sure I use evidence from the graph for both housing demand and supply to support my answer", and that would be amazing if you could do that as well.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

Let's check our answers.

Your answer might include the following.

In 2003, Jakarta needed 800,000 more homes built, but only 300,000 were built.

By 2013, the demand had risen to eight million, while only three million houses were built.

In 2023, housing demand reached 16 million, but only six million houses were built.

This shows that the number of houses being built is not keeping up with the demand.

The gap between how many homes are needed and how many are built keeps getting bigger.

Well done if you managed to include any of those points in your answer.

You've done brilliantly.

We're now going to explore our second question of today's lesson.

Why is it risky to live in kampungs? With so few affordable land options available in Jakarta, many homes and informal settlements are built in hazardous locations.

This includes areas along riverbanks, which are at a high risk of flooding, and beside train tracks, where safety is a major concern.

These sites are often the only space left for people who can't afford formal housing, but living there puts residents at risk from both natural hazards and urban dangers.

What challenges come with building homes by rivers or railway lines? Pause the video here whilst you have a think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answers.

Laura said, "I guess homes built near rivers are at risk of flooding, especially during the rainy season.

I know that flood water damages buildings and can spread diseases," and she's correct.

They can spread diseases like cholera if they're contaminated with sewage waste.

Izzy said, "Living next to railway lines might be very noisy, and if there aren't proper fences, then it could be really dangerous to live so close to railway traffic," and she's correct as well.

I hope you managed to come up with answers like this as well.

Flooding is a major risk in Jakarta's kampungs, especially those in low-lying areas.

In places like North Jakarta, some of these informal settlements are sinking up to 25 centimetres per year.

This process, known as land subsistence, is made worse by overuse of groundwater and heavy buildings on soft ground.

As the land sinks, the risk of flooding increases, and floods become more frequent and more severe, putting homes and lives in danger, especially in poor areas where buildings are weak and drainage is poor.

True or false? Flooding in kampungs is mainly caused by rainfall, and the land in North Jakarta is stable.

Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This answer is false.

I would now like you to explain why.

Pause here and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The reason why this statement is false is because flooding in kampungs is made worse by land sinking, subsistence, especially in North Jakarta, where some areas sink up to 25 centimetres per year, increasing the frequency and severity of floods.

Well done if you managed to explain that correctly.

In 2020, severe flooding in Jakarta displaced over 60,000 people.

Many of the worst-hit areas were kampungs built near rivers like the Ciliwung, where homes are often made from weak materials and lack proper flood protection.

Floodwaters damaged houses, cut off roads, and forced families to evacuate, highlighting how vulnerable informal settlements are to natural hazards in Jakarta.

Rivers in Jakarta are heavily polluted with waste from homes and businesses, and informal settlements dump directly into the water.

During floods, this polluted water is carried into people's homes and streets, creating serious health risks.

Standing water left behind can also spread diseases like dengue fever, which is carried by mosquitoes.

In many kampungs, waste collection is unreliable.

As a result, rubbish is often left to pile up or gets dumped in rivers and drains.

This waste can block storm drains, stopping flood water from draining away properly, and making floods worse and longer-lasting.

Lucas and Sofia are having a discussion about how poor drainage can affect people living in kampungs.

Who is correct? Lucas says, "It just means there's too much water on the ground, but it dries up fast.

People can just walk around it or clean it up later." Sofia said, "Poor drainage causes dirty water to spread.

When it floods, rubbish blocks the drains, and standing water spreads diseases like dengue fever." Pause the video here whilst you decide who is correct, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The correct answer is Sofia.

I hope you identified that correctly as well.

Many homes in Jakarta's kampungs are built with scrap material, like wood, metal sheets, and plastic, which makes them unsafe and fragile.

Around 40% of families live in just one room, often sharing small spaces with multiple people.

In some areas, population density can reach 60,000 people per square kilometre or more, making the kampungs extremely overcrowded.

Narrow paths and tightly packed housing make it difficult to move around, especially during emergencies like fires or floods, when fast evacuation is needed.

These conditions show the serious challenges of informal housing in one of the world's fastest-growing cities.

In 2016, a huge fire broke out in North Jakarta, destroying over 400 homes in a densely-packed kampung.

More than 3000 people lost their homes.

Fires like this spread quickly in informal settlements where homes are close together, made from flammable materials, and where there is limited access for emergency services.

This event shows how vulnerable kampungs are to disasters, and the risks faced by people who live there.

Why do fire spread more easily in kampungs? Pause the video here whilst you have a think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answers.

Lucas said, "If buildings are made from wood and scrap, and are built close together, then fire will spread quickly," and he's right, and this exactly what happened in 2016.

True or false? In 2016, a fire in North Jakarta destroyed over 400 homes, and more than 3000 people lost their homes.

Pause the video here whilst you decide if this is true or false, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This statement is true.

I would like you to explain why the fire spread quickly.

Pause the video here, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The answer is, the fire spread quickly in the kampungs because many buildings are made from wood and built close together.

Well done if you explained that correctly.

Ayu is 15 and lives with her family in a one-room house in a kampung near the Ciliwung River.

During the raining season, October to April, their home often floods.

The family has to raise their beds on crates and scoop out water out of their home by hand.

Last year, Ayu missed school for days because the roads were underwater.

The wires in the kampung are tangled and unsafe.

A neighbor's house caught fire after heavy rain.

This shows us how difficult it can be to live in a kampung.

Which combination of risks best explains why Ayu's home in a kampung is unsafe during the rainy season? Is it A, poor air quality and traffic congestion? B, cold temperatures and a lack of heating? C, flooding, unsafe electrical wiring, and fire risks? Or D, drought, lack of drinking water, and power cuts? Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The answer is C, flooding, unsafe electrical wiring, and fire risks.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

What does Ayu's family do to cope with regular flooding? Is it A, they raise their beds on crates and scoop out water by hand? B, they build boats to travel through the kampung? C, they move to a shelter every time it rains? Or D, they stay upstairs in a two-story house during floods? Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is A, they raise their beds on crates and scoop out water by hand.

Well done if you identified that correctly.

Alex has written an answer to explain why living in kampungs in Jakarta can be dangerous.

I would like you to correct his mistakes.

Alex said, "Kampungs are dangerous because people live close to rivers and sometimes get wet when it rains.

The houses are a bit weak, but most of the time they are fine.

It's also dangerous because people throw rubbish in the river, and that makes it smell bad.

The streets are so small, so it's annoying to walk around." Pause the video here whilst you identify his mistakes and correct them, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Let's check our answers.

Alex wrote, "People live close to rivers and sometimes get wet when it rains." You might have said, "Kampungs near rivers flood often during the rainy season, which damages homes and forces people to leave.

Some areas are also at risk of sinking." Alex said, "The houses are a bit weak, but most of the time they're fine." You might have said, "Homes are made from wood or metal sheets, so they can collapse or catch fire easily." Alex said, "People throw rubbish in the river, and that makes it smell bad." You might have said, "Garbage blocks storm drains and makes floods worse, while dirty water spreads diseases like dengue fever." Alex said, "The streets are small, so it's annoying to walk around." You might have said, "Narrow paths and poor lighting make it hard to escape during floods or fires, and emergency services can't reach homes easily." Well done if you managed to identify those mistakes and you corrected them.

You've done brilliantly on this task.

We're now going to explore our final question of today's lesson.

How does poor infrastructure affect daily life? Kampungs do not always have access to basic infrastructure to ensure good quality of life for residents.

What infrastructure do people need? Pause the video here whilst you have a think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Infrastructure people need is access to safe water, electricity, waste disposal, and sanitation.

Homes in Jakarta's kampungs often lack basic services like piped water and sewage connections.

Across the city, only 65% of residents have access to piped water.

In kampungs, many families rely on wells, pumps, or buy water from private vendors, which is often expensive and not always clean.

Without proper sewage infrastructure, waste is often dumped into rivers or open drains, increasing the risk of diseases.

In North Jakarta, around one in every 250 children under five is infected with cholera each year, a serious waterborne illness linked to poor sanitation and contaminated water.

These conditions show how lack of infrastructure in kampungs directly affect health and quality of life.

True or false? Most homes in Jakarta's kampungs have piped water, and are connected to the city's sewage infrastructure.

Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

This statement is false.

I would like you to explain why.

Pause the video here, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The reason why this statement is false is because only 65% of Jakarta has piped water.

In kampungs, many homes lack running water and toilets, relying on public wells and pumps and shared toilet facilities, which can spread disease.

It is estimated that in North Jakarta, one in 250 children under five get cholera each year.

Well done if you managed to explain that correctly.

Kampungs often don't receive waste collection services because they're not officially recognised by the city.

As a result, rubbish is frequently dumped into rivers, streets, or empty land, and this contributes to major environmental problems across Jakarta.

In a recent study, researchers found that about 74% of waste in rivers was plastic, roughly three out of every four items. At official waste collection sites, the figure was even higher.

Nearly nine out of 10 items, or 87%, were plastic.

Without proper waste management, plastic pollution builds up, blocks drainage systems, worsens flooding, and harms both the environment and public health.

What happens when there is no waste collection in kampungs? Pause the video here whilst you have a think, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answer.

A student has said, "Since there is no rubbish pickup, people throw it in streets or rivers.

Some of it's plastic waste, and that blocks drains and makes flooding and sickness worse." Well done if you managed to come up with that answer as well.

Why does rubbish build up in kampungs like in the image? A, people are paid to dump plastic near their homes? B, the city provides rubbish trucks once a week? C, kampungs are not officially recognised, so waste is not collected? Or D, residents refuse to use public bins? Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

The answer is C, kampungs are not officially recognised, so waste is not collected.

Well done.

In many of Jakarta's kampungs, access to electricity is unreliable, because homes are not formally connected to the grid.

Electricity is often shared between households, or even tapped illegally.

This creates serious safety risks, including a high chance of electrical fires.

As a result, kampungs experience longer and more frequent blackouts than formal areas of the city, especially during heavy rain or at peak times when demand is high.

This unreliable supply affects daily life and makes living conditions even more difficult for residents.

Why do kampungs in Jakarta often experience more power outages than formal areas? Is it A, they use too much electricity for appliances? B, they're not connected to any power supply? C, illegal power tapping overloads the system? Or D, power companies shut off power on purpose? Pause the video here whilst you decide, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Fantastic.

The answer is C, illegal power tapping overloads the system.

Well done on this task.

On the screen, you can see there is a statement.

"Poor infrastructure is the main reason life is difficult in Jakarta's kampungs." I would like you to place a cross on the line representing your opinion, whether you agree or disagree, and then justify your opinion.

Use information from this lesson and your own research to support your answer.

Pause the video here whilst you attempt this task, and press play when you're ready to continue.

Excellent.

Let's check our answer.

Your response may look something like this.

"I have placed it more towards the agree side." Your response to justify your opinion may look something like this.

"I agree with this statement because poor infrastructure affects people's health and daily life the most.

For example, only 65% of Jakarta has piped water, so many families in kampungs rely on pumps or water vendors.

This can be expensive and unsafe.

Kampungs often don't have toilets in homes, so people use shared ones, which are unhygienic.

In North Jakarta, one in 250 children under five get cholera each year.

Rubbish collection is also a problem, as it gets dumped in the streets or rivers, blocks drains, and spreads diseases.

Electricity is often shared through illegal wire tapping, which causes blackouts and fire risks during storms or peak times.

These problems make life very difficult, even if the housing itself hasn't collapsed." Well done if you managed to include some of these points in your answer.

You've done brilliantly.

We've now come to the end of our learning on "Challenges caused by rapid urban population growth: housing", and you've done brilliantly.

But before we end this lesson, let's summarise everything we've learned today.

Jakarta faces a serious housing shortage, with millions of people living in kampungs, informal settlements built without official planning or infrastructure.

These self-built areas are often the only housing option for low-income residents and rural migrants, but conditions are poor, sanitation is limited, homes are overcrowded, and the streets are narrow and densely packed.

Many kampungs are built in hazardous locations, such as long riverbanks or railway tracks, where there's a high risk of flooding, fires, and other dangers.

In 2016, a fire in Kampung Bandan destroyed over 400 homes and left 3000 people homeless.

Fires like this spread quickly due to flammable materials used in construction, and lack of access for emergency services.

Kampung homes are often made from scrap wood, metal sheets, and plastic.

Most lack basic access to safe electricity, and in some cases power is shared or tapped illegally, increasing the risk of blackouts and electrical fires.

Basic services like clean, piped water, sewage systems, and waste collection, are also missing in many areas.

Without these, families rely on wells, water vendors, and makeshift toilets, leading to serious health risks like cholera and dengue fever.

These difficult living conditions highlight the urgent need for safer, affordable housing, as Jakarta continues to grow.

Well done in today's lesson.

You've done brilliantly, and I look forward to learning with you again very soon.