180 dropouts in West Jakarta return to education through 'Sekolah Kembali' programme
A total of 180 children who had previously dropped out of school in West Jakarta officially returned to education during the School Environment Introduction Period (MPLS) for the ‘Sekolah Kembali’ (Back to School) Programme at SDN Mangga Besar 15, Tamansari, West Jakarta, on Tuesday. The participants are students in the non-formal education programmes Paket A, B, and C, hailing from four sub-districts: Taman Sari, Tambora, Cengkareng, and Kalideres.
Head of the DKI Jakarta Education Agency, Nahdiana, stated that the programme, initiated by the Education Sub-agency for Region 1 West Jakarta, is designed to ensure all children in Jakarta receive their right to education. “As the name suggests, this programme aims to return children to the education pathway, whether formal or non-formal. We want to ensure no child in Jakarta is left behind,” Nahdiana said in Jakarta on Tuesday.
She explained that the MPLS activities for the ‘Sekolah Kembali’ programme participants are held over two days, Tuesday (28/7) and Thursday (30/7), with a concept similar to regular schools to help students readapt. Although the curriculum does not differ in principle from formal education, she noted that the non-formal pathway places greater emphasis on improving competence through skills and vocational education. The learning methods include face-to-face classes, modules, and practical assignments.
“Today is the opening ceremony and it will later be followed by ten other regions in DKI Jakarta,” Nahdiana said. In detail, of the 180 participants, 26 students are from Taman Sari Sub-district, 59 from Tambora, 57 from Cengkareng, and 38 from Kalideres. Teaching and learning activities will be centralised at the Community Learning Centres (SKB) in each respective area. For Tamansari and Tambora sub-districts, which do not yet have an SKB, learning activities have been relocated to SDN Mangga Besar 15 and SDN Angke 03, involving staff from the Education Agency and the regional Education Sub-agency as teaching personnel.
The programme was welcomed positively by the participants, including Melisa, a Paket B (junior high school equivalent) student who had previously dropped out due to economic difficulties. “I used to go to school, then I dropped out because of economic factors and I wasn’t comfortable at the boarding school. Now I can go back to school to continue the third year of junior high. I hope I can pursue my dream of becoming an entrepreneur,” Melisa said.
Based on data from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education in July 2026, the residual number of students (children not in school/dropouts) in West Jakarta was 20,890 at the primary school level and 32,229 at the junior high school level. At the regional level, the number of out-of-school children in the area has decreased by approximately 67.97 percent.