Bali's 'Sekolah Rakyat' in Karangasem Welcomes 163 New Students, Primary Level Sees Low Demand

The Sekolah Rakyat Terintegrasi 3 in Tulamben, Karangasem Regency, Bali, has accepted 163 new students for the 2026/2027 academic year. The intake spans primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary levels, with all new students currently undergoing a student orientation period (MPLS).

Headmaster I Putu Jaya Negara stated that the students hail from all regencies across Bali. He noted a significant disparity in enrolment figures, with the primary school level receiving the fewest students. “The 163 students consist of 78 senior secondary students, 76 junior secondary students, and 9 primary students,” Jaya Negara said on Tuesday.

He suspects the low enrolment for the primary level is due to young children not yet being ready to live far from their parents, as the school operates a boarding system. Consequently, the primary level will form just one study group, while the junior and senior secondary levels are planned to be divided into three study groups each.

During the orientation period, students are participating in activities directed by the central government. A comprehensive health check for all new students is also scheduled. The school represents a consolidation of the Sekolah Rakyat programme in Bali, with students from the former Sekolah Rakyat Menengah Pertama 17 in Tabanan also being transferred to the centralised Karangasem campus for the new academic year.