After a Year in Operation, Sekolah Rakyat Students Can Join Student Exchanges

Sekolah Rakyat (SR) is giving Indonesian children opportunities to continue developing themselves, including through student exchange programmes abroad.

The exchange programme has been running at Sekolah Rakyat Menengah Atas (SRMA) 21 Surabaya. One student, 17-year-old Muhammad Saifullah, took part in the Sister School programme at Khon Kaen University in Thailand last August.

When he first set foot in the Land of the White Elephant, Saiful could not hide his happiness and pride. “I was really happy because it was my first time on a plane, and proud to go abroad to take part in a student exchange,” he said when met after lessons at SRMA 21 Surabaya recently.

The programme is the result of cooperation between SRMA 21 Surabaya and Labschool at Surabaya State University (Unesa). A total of 13 people, including Sekolah Rakyat students and Labschool Unesa students, took part.

The students from Sekolah Rakyat selected to travel to Thailand were chosen on the basis of their English skills and talents. Of the 97 students, four of the best were selected from different classes.

“They were chosen based on their English, as well as their talents. Some are good at dancing or make-up and can showcase Indonesian culture in Thailand. The others were selected for their English ability and communication skills,” Saiful explained.

Saiful said he had enjoyed English lessons since junior secondary school. At Sekolah Rakyat, he had studied the simple past and simple present tenses, as well as descriptive text. “English is my favourite. It’s really fun, and the language is quite trendy,” he said.

Learning languages and performing the Remo dance

Activities in Thailand included sitting in on classes at Khon Kaen Demonstration School for junior secondary pupils, and attending a pre-university class at Khon Kaen University’s Faculty of Education for senior secondary pupils.

“We learnt English and studied the language in greater depth. The lessons were much the same: the simple present and past tenses, grammar, and chemistry taught in English,” Saiful said.

The Sekolah Rakyat students learnt about many things during their stay in Thailand, including introducing Indonesian culture through the traditional Remo dance from East Java, accompanied by narration in English.

“When we first arrived at the university, there was a morning assembly ceremony with the rector. We performed two dances: the Remo from Sekolah Rakyat and the Jaipong from Labschool,” he said.

Alongside classroom activities, the students were introduced to local culture through social studies in Bangkok and Laos. “We went to Laos for a city tour, visiting a souvenir shop, a Buddha statue and a museum. It was one day, from morning until afternoon,” Saiful said.

The visit to Thailand was an unforgettable experience for all four Sekolah Rakyat students, particularly Saiful. “I hope there will be another programme next year and that I can be selected again to take part in a student exchange abroad,” he said.

A better life at Sekolah Rakyat

Saiful comes from a family whose parents separated when he was five. Since then, he has had no news of his mother and has never even communicated with her by phone.

It was not easy for an only child like Saiful to grow up without a mother’s affection. He became withdrawn and preferred to spend time alone. “In primary and junior secondary school, I was very introverted and rarely socialised,” he said.

His life began to change at Sekolah Rakyat. The boarding-school system and the sense of community around him made it easier to socialise and communicate. “I used to walk home from school alone, but here I’m accompanied by lots of friends. I’ve also started to become more extroverted. It’s easier for me to talk to people here,” he said.

After about three months, Saiful said he had experienced the warmth of life at Sekolah Rakyat. He said the teachers at SRMA 21 Surabaya were experienced and used engaging teaching methods that made lessons easy to understand.

Eighteen teachers deliver lessons to the students, while 11 student mentors and three dormitory supervisors provide support during their time at school.

The school also has well-equipped facilities. “The facilities here are very comfortable: there’s air conditioning, washbasins and very soft mattresses,” Saiful said.

Sekolah Rakyat teaches more than academic knowledge; it also helps shape character. Saiful said he had become more diligent in worship and study while at the school.