Jakarta (ANTARA) – The government is seeking to improve the quality of Indonesia’s human resources through the Integrated National School (SNT) program, which aims to develop every student’s potential while instilling Indonesian values and fostering a global perspective.
“The SNT program aims to develop the potential of every child so that they remain rooted in Indonesian values and local wisdom while also having a global perspective,” Fahd Pahdepie, Deputy I for Strategy and Communication Systems at the Government Communication Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (Bakom RI), said at a press conference here on Wednesday.
Pahdepie said that currently, around 1,360 students are currently beginning the new academic year at Integrated National Schools as part of the government’s efforts to ensure equal access to quality education.
He explained that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education had launched the SNT program to strengthen the education ecosystem and reduce disparities in education quality across regions.
“As the program has just been launched and the schools are still in the introductory stage, there is currently only one cohort of students at each SNT,” he said.
“For junior high school (SMP) students, there are around 20 students and two classes, and for senior high school (SMA) students, there are 20. So, of the 17 SNTs currently operating, there are now around 1,360 students,” he added.
The figure is based on the 17 SNTs that have begun operating across 17 districts and cities in 13 provinces. Another 20 locations are under construction.
Pahdepie said the SNT program was developed in response to persistent disparities in education quality across Indonesia.
According to data from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education as of June 30, 2025, only 4 percent, or 263 of Indonesia’s 7,288 subdistricts, had junior and senior high schools with good academic performance or an A accreditation rating.
He said high-quality schools remain concentrated primarily on Java. In Papua, meanwhile, only four high-quality schools are located across three subdistricts.
The government plans to establish 500 SNT educational units across Indonesia, equipped with modern facilities such as libraries providing access to global e-journals, discussion rooms, sports centers and student shuttle services.
The government is also preparing qualified teaching staff for SNT schools. At present, the program has 17 principals and 204 teachers.
“This means 1 to 6, or 1 teacher for 6 students. This is an ideal design for a school that wants to produce graduates or educate high-achieving students, in line with the President’s vision,” he explained.​​​​​​​
Regarding the differences between SNT, Sekolah Rakyat and Sekolah Unggul Garuda, Pahdepie emphasized that the three programs have different target groups and approaches. Nevertheless, they share the same objective: ensuring that every Indonesian child has access to the best possible education.
SNT is designed to serve as a regional center for educational development by improving teacher competencies, sharing best practices, utilizing learning resources and establishing partnerships with neighboring schools.
The SNT program also plans to integrate junior and senior high school education into a single learning ecosystem.
Students will follow the national curriculum through an immersive learning approach based on STEAMS — science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and sports. They will also receive foreign-language instruction and education designed to broaden their global perspective.
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Translator: Katriana
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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