15 Children from Jember's 'Sekolah Rakyat' Showcase Creativity at JFC 2026
Jember, East Java (ANTARA) - A total of 15 children from Sekolah Rakyat Terintegrasi 6 Jember demonstrated spectacular creativity at the Jember Fashion Carnaval (JFC) held from Friday to Sunday (26 July).
Of the 15 Sekolah Rakyat children, eight took part in the JFC World Kids Carnival held on Friday afternoon, while seven others performed as talent participants in the Grand Carnival, which featured a 3.6-kilometre catwalk route on Sunday (26 July).
“We have a co-curricular programme aimed at honing the children’s skills, so JFC is included as a flagship co-curricular activity of Sekolah Rakyat,” said the Head of Sekolah Rakyat Terintegrasi 6 Jember, Kartika, while accompanying the children as they prepared to perform at the JFC World Kids Carnival on Friday.
According to her, the costumes worn by the Sekolah Rakyat children were their own creations, made with guidance from teachers and guardians who received direction from the JFC team according to the designated theme.
“I want to prove that Sekolah Rakyat children from Decile 1 and 2 families are capable of producing their finest work at JFC, and they are now even beginning to feel confident when performing in public,” she said.
Meanwhile, JFC President Budi Setiawan said his side fully supported the participation of Sekolah Rakyat children in the JFC event because every child deserves an equal opportunity.
“We did indeed invite the Sekolah Rakyat children to take part in this year’s JFC, and their works are no less impressive than anyone else’s,” he said.
He said JFC is a movement for transformation in building inclusive spaces, so that anyone can create and produce spectacular works, including the children of Sekolah Rakyat Terintegrasi 6 Jember.
JFC 2026 carries the theme HEAL (Humanity, Earth and Life), which tells the story of healing the relationship between humans and nature, presented across eight defiles.
Budi explained that JFC is not merely a carnival event, but aims to shape a creative ecosystem in Jember Regency that is expected to drive the region across various sectors, such as the economy, tourism, the creative economy and others.