Ahmad Luthfi Reviews First Day of Learning at Partnership Schools
One of the students at SMA Laboratorium UPGRIS Semarang, Rafa Fidianto, expressed his happiness on his first day wearing a high school uniform. Although he had previously failed to gain admission to a state school, the son of a motorcycle taxi driver was ultimately able to continue his education through the programme. “I previously tried to register at a state school, but my grades were not sufficient. I am happy to be able to attend school here because I can make many friends,” said Rafa Fidianto in a written statement on Monday (13/7/2026). Through his education, he hopes to realise his ambition of becoming a soldier so he can make his parents proud.
Another story came from Kamdani, a farm labourer who felt relieved to be able to send her child to the school free of charge. With an uncertain income of around Rp50,000 to Rp70,000 per day, she admitted she would struggle to cover all the educational needs of her third child. “Alhamdulillah, my child can attend school and still wants to go to school. My hope is that my child can have a lighter life and not end up like his mother,” said Kamdani, the parent of a Partnership School Programme beneficiary.
On the occasion, Governor Ahmad Luthfi repeatedly encouraged the students not to feel inferior because of their economic conditions or family backgrounds. “We may have different schools, we may have different backgrounds, but it is your future that you determine. Do not be discouraged, do not feel inferior. Be enthusiastic,” said the Governor of Central Java, Ahmad Luthfi. He stressed that economic conditions should not cause a child to lose the opportunity to obtain an education. “They must continue to attend school, they must not drop out. Schooling must not stop just because of a disadvantaged family situation,” he said.
According to Luthfi, the Partnership School Programme represents the government’s responsibility to provide educational guarantees for children from underprivileged families. He noted that the students he met came from diverse backgrounds, including the children of street food stall vendors, motorcycle taxi drivers, labourers, and children who had lost their parents or were being raised by relatives. “However, they remain enthusiastic about attending school. This is a form of the state’s responsibility to always provide guarantees and certainty of education for them,” said Ahmad Luthfi.
For the 2026/2027 academic year, the Central Java Provincial Government is collaborating with 139 private schools, comprising 56 senior high schools and 83 vocational high schools. A total of 3,663 children were accepted through the programme, consisting of 1,063 senior high school students and 2,600 vocational high school students. This number increased compared to the previous academic year, which reached 2,390 students. Specifically in the city of Semarang, 51 students were accepted through the Partnership School Programme, distributed across SMA Laboratorium UPGRIS with 24 students, SMK Bina Nusantara with 21 students, and SMK Ibu Kartini with six students. During the activity, 55 students also received school supplies and shoes, while parents received basic food assistance packages from the Central Java Baznas.
Luthfi also asked school principals and teachers to ensure the School Environment Introduction Period takes place safely, humanely, and enjoyably. “There must be no more hazing, no more bullying, let alone anything that causes feelings of inferiority. School should not be frightening, but must be a pleasant place so that children feel comfortable,” he asserted. To the students, he advised that the educational opportunities they have received be used to achieve their ambitions while improving their family lives. “You must become children who are devoted to your parents, have noble aspirations, and are able to change yourselves and your families for the better,” he concluded.