125 Sekolah Rakyat Students Trained by Police Academy Cadets, A Major Mission Behind It
A total of 125 students from Sekolah Rakyat Terintegrasi (SRT) 9 Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, are undergoing discipline and character building with cadets from the Police Academy (Akpol) ahead of the 2026/2027 academic year. The programme is part of an effort to rebuild the rhythm of boarding school life after the students had a long holiday of about one month. The mentoring by Akpol cadets took place from 3 to 7 August 2026 as part of the School Environment Introduction Period (MPLS) series, which is being held simultaneously at Sekolah Rakyat schools in accordance with a ministerial assignment. In addition to introducing school life, the activity focuses on character building, discipline, and the physical and mental readiness of students to return to boarding-based education.
The Head of SRT 9 Banjarbaru, Rifki Hakim, said the school deliberately called the students back earlier than the official MPLS schedule. This step was taken so that students would have sufficient time to readapt to the boarding life pattern before participating in the entire series of teaching and learning activities. "We brought the students in earlier on 29 July 2026, or two days before the official MPLS schedule at the pioneering school. The aim is for students to have time to restore their boarding life rhythm before attending the MPLS opening and learning activities," Rifki said in Banjarbaru on Monday. According to him, the transition period after a long holiday is an important phase that cannot be ignored. Changes in sleep patterns, daily habits, and discipline that may have slackened while at home need to be gradually restored so that students do not experience difficulties when entering the boarding education routine.
Therefore, the school began the activities with a physical fitness programme aimed at refreshing the students’ physical and mental condition. The activity also serves as a means to rebuild disciplined habits, resilience, and readiness to participate in the packed activities for the coming semester. "The Akpol cadets provide guidance through marching drills, instilling discipline, order, cleanliness, and character strengthening as a provision so that students get used to carrying out the order of life in the dormitory environment again," he said. The involvement of Akpol cadets is not only directed at forming physical discipline but also at instilling the values of leadership, responsibility, cooperation, and care for the surrounding environment. These values are considered an important foundation for students undergoing education in a boarding system. Marching drills, for example, are seen not merely as a cohesion-building activity but as a means for students to learn to respect rules, build concentration, control emotions, and foster self-confidence in working with groups.