Students at Sekolah Rakyat 17 senior high school in Surakarta, Central Java, share a meal together in the school’s dining hall. - Photo: The Jakarta Post/ courtesy of Central Java administration
JAKARTA: Several students from two separate Sekolah Rakyat (community schools) have fled their boarding facilities just a week after beginning orientation at the newly established institutions.
Five students from Sekolah Rakyat senior high school in Temanggung Regency, Central Java, ran away from their boarding school over the weekend, reportedly due to homesickness and discomfort with the school environment.
According to Dewi Suhartini, head of the Social Affairs Ministry’s Kartini Training Center, where the school is located, three students escaped during the night of July 18, while two others left the following Monday afternoon.
“The three students escaped by jumping over the fence at midnight without taking any belongings,” Dewi said on Wednesday (July 23), as quoted by Kompas.com.
“Meanwhile, the two others simply walked away during school hours.”
Dewi explained that the students struggled to adapt to the structured environment of the boarding school, which requires greater discipline and routine.
“They’re still adjusting and haven’t been able to let go of old habits, such as playing after school hours,” she said.
School officials, she added, have been in close communication with the students’ families.
As a result, two of the five students have agreed to return to the school later this week.
“Our in-house psychologist has also intensified counseling efforts to prevent more students from running away. This guidance is aimed at understanding the challenges and difficulties the students are facing,” Dewi said.
Sekolah Rakyat senior high school in Temanggung currently houses 125 students, including 69 females and 56 males.
On July 18, a student from Sekolah Rakyat senior high school in Banyuwangi, East Java, also fled the school and returned to his parents' home.
According to school officials, the student left the premises at night with a group of friends who were reportedly dressed in "punk" attire.
He departed without permission, prompting school staff to launch a search for his whereabouts.
He was later found to have safely returned to his family.
Following the incident, the school administration decided to expel the student. Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said school officials will not compel students who have fled Sekolah Rakyat to return if they choose not to.
“Officials will continue to engage in dialogue with the students’ parents and encourage the students to return,” he said on Wednesday.
“But if they ultimately refuse, we will offer their spots to other eligible students. There is still a large number of students eager to enroll in Sekolah Rakyat.”
On July 14, the government inaugurated 63 boarding schools as part of President Prabowo Subianto ’s flagship Sekolah Rakyat initiative, which is designed to provide free education to thousands of students from the nation’s poorest 10 percent.
Since the program’s rollout, responses have been mixed with some Sekolah Rakyat struggling to attract enough students while others grapple with an overwhelming number of applicants eager to secure a place.
Despite multiple reports of students fleeing and running away to avoid enrollment in Sekolah Rakyat, some have also expressed enthusiasm and eagerness to learn.
Paris Erin Najma, a student at Sekolah Rakyat 17 senior high school in Surakarta, Central Java, said that enrolling in Sekolah Rakyat has significantly eased the financial burden on her father, an online ojek driver who supports three children.
“I feel fortunate to receive a high-quality education free of charge. The school provides all our essentials as well, from meals and soap to deodorant, towels and even laundry detergent,” she told The Jakarta Post recently.
“I’ve made wonderful friends and am learning to be more disciplined, responsible and better at managing my time. I hope to succeed here and make my family proud,” she added.
Another student at the school, Danindra Hanif Saputro, shared similar sentiments, expressing gratitude for the free facilities and the quality of the teaching staff.
“I chose to study here because my father suffered a stroke in 2020. Attending this school helps ease my family’s financial struggles, and I hope to become successful so I can make my parents proud,” he said.
Minister Saifullah explained that the orientation period for Sekolah Rakyat students will extend to two weeks, significantly longer than the typical five-day orientation in regular schools, to help students better acclimate to the boarding school environment before formal classes begin.
During this period, students will undergo comprehensive health screenings, academic evaluations and team-building exercises. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
