Bobby Nasution Unveils Concept for Tourism Vocational School in Samosir, Focusing on Education and Character Building

The North Sumatra Provincial Government is preparing the construction of a Tourism Vocational High School (SMK) in Samosir Regency as part of efforts to support the development of the Lake Toba area. The school will implement a boarding school system with all educational costs borne by the government. The plan was conveyed by North Sumatra Governor Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution while attending the 20th National Working Meeting combined with the 19th Anniversary celebration of the Simbolon and Boruna Indonesia Association (PSBI) at the Hotel Aryaduta, Jakarta, on 7 July. On that occasion, Bobby also invited community organisations, including PSBI, to collaborate in supporting North Sumatra’s development, particularly in the Lake Toba area. One of the programmes presented by Bobby was the construction of a tourism-based flagship school in Samosir Regency. “We are building a flagship school in Samosir. This will be a Tourism SMK,” said Bobby. According to Bobby, the school is designed with a boarding school concept so that students not only receive academic education but also character building, discipline, and mental readiness. “The scheme is boarding and all costs are borne by the government, not only learning materials but also the students’ mental readiness,” he said. He stated that the school construction is now entering the construction phase after the planning documents were completed. The Samosir Regency Government has also provided land for the school’s construction. “The land has been prepared, it just needs to be built. The detailed engineering design (DED) is also finished,” he said. In addition to the education sector, Bobby also touched on the importance of making culture a driver of the community’s economy through the development of the creative industry. According to him, cultural preservation needs to be carried out with an approach that can provide economic value to the community. “We are no longer in an era of merely preserving culture statically, but how to preserve it through industry,” Bobby stressed. Meanwhile, PSBI General Chairman Effendi Simbolon conveyed three aspirations to the North Sumatra Provincial Government. These aspirations include the provision of clean water and irrigation in Samosir Regency, strengthening environmental management by the Aquafarm company, and the preservation of Batak culture. According to Effendi, the issue of clean water remains a challenge for the people of Samosir. “It is the only regency surrounded by water, yet it still lacks clean water and irrigation water,” he said.