1,500 Defence University Cadets Prepared to Act as Mentors for 'Sekolah Rakyat' Students
Approximately 1,500 cadets from the Defence University (Unhan) are being prepared to serve as mentors for around 44,000 students in the ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ (People’s School) programme. Through a two-week community service programme, the presence of these cadets will focus on character building, discipline, and fostering independence among the students.
The programme was formalised through the signing of a Cooperation Agreement (PKS) between the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Robben Rico, and the Rector of Unhan, Lieutenant General Anton Nugroho (Ret.), at the Unhan Salemba Campus in Central Jakarta today.
During the event, Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf (Gus Ipul) stated that ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ students come from underprivileged families and are admitted without academic testing. Because the students possess diverse backgrounds, abilities, and habits, they require reinforcement in discipline.
“We hope that these cadets performing the service can serve as role models. They will demonstrate how to wake up on time, sleep on time, maintain good personal hygiene, look after personal belongings, make beds, fold clothes, and organise wardrobes correctly,” said Gus Ipul in a written statement on Tuesday.
He noted that such discipline-based learning is particularly crucial during the initial stages of a student’s education at ‘Sekolah Rakyat’. The mentoring is intended for students ranging from primary to secondary school levels, with implementation tailored to individual needs, including for students with special needs.
“The approach for primary school students will be age-appropriate, as will it be for junior high students, and for those with special needs, it will certainly be adjusted to their specific requirements. It will not be a one-size-fits-all approach,” explained Gus Ipul.
The deployment of cadets to carry out the service programme is scheduled to begin on 9 October 2026. For two weeks, the cadets will accompany students in various activities focused on strengthening discipline and learning.
Gus Ipul welcomed the service programme and expressed his appreciation to Unhan for providing cadets the opportunity to be directly involved in the ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ programme.
“We are very grateful to the Rector and the administration for providing this opportunity for their students (cadets) to serve within the ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ environment for two weeks,” added Gus Ipul.
Meanwhile, the Rector of Unhan, Lieutenant General Anton Nugroho (Ret.), stated that the cadets will assist students in building positive habits that are expected to persist after the programme concludes.
“We plan to involve approximately 1,500 people for the implementation, as there are 182 ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ locations across Indonesia. During these two weeks, our hope is that these cadets can help the ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ students improve and form good habits, build discipline, and develop their character,” said Anton.
He added that the coaching will also be directed towards fostering student leadership, one method being through activities that allow students to take turns acting as class leaders.
Activities will include basic discipline training such as marching drills, early morning routines, morning exercises, communal dining, religious activities, classroom learning, ethics training, and scouting activities.
The cadets come from various study programmes and faculties, allowing them to share knowledge relevant to their respective fields. For instance, cadets from mathematics programmes can assist students with their mathematics studies.
“Essentially, our cadets will act as mentors for ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ students. They will integrate, sharing knowledge and experience, so that we hope these younger students will have figures to look up to as future leaders. These cadets will serve as examples for them,” concluded Anton.