Education Ministry Realises 'School as Second Home' Vision Through SNT 09 Gowa

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) has successfully realised the school as a second home for high-achieving pupils towards Golden Indonesia 2045 through the implementation of Integrated National Schools (SNT), including SNT 09 in Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi Province.

Imran, Head of the Education Quality Assurance Agency (BPMP) of Kemendikdasmen for South Sulawesi Province, said in a written statement in Jakarta on Tuesday that the presence of SNT 09 Gowa is part of the ministry’s efforts to provide quality education units that serve not only as learning spaces for pupils but also as centres for talent development and models for improving education quality for surrounding schools.

The presence of SNT 09 Gowa, Imran said, represents a new force for accelerating the equal distribution of education quality in the region, as the school is designed with above-average standards of facilities, funding, and teaching staff to ensure optimal pupil achievement.

“SNT 9 Gowa will become a development model for other schools. In the context of quality assurance, this school serves as a sister school for its surrounding environment, making the transformation of education quality easier as a primary amplifier in the region,” said Imran.

Imran added that BPMP provides optimal support, from coordinating site reviews to technical supervision in the field. In addition to serving as a primary incubator for education quality assurance specialists in developing learning models, SNT 09 Gowa is positioned as a flagship programme that continues to prioritise regional characteristics and local wisdom in its curriculum.

Meanwhile, Head of SNT 09 Gowa M. Sahrul explained that for the 2026/2027 academic year, the school is focused on translating its talent development vision through the implementation of a welcoming student orientation programme (MPLS Ramah).

This vision, he continued, aims to help every pupil discover their best potential without uniformity in the learning process.

“We are building a mindset that pressure-based or seniority-based approaches must not exist in schools. We prioritise the principles of student voice, student choice, and ownership so that pupils feel heard, making the school truly their second home that is safe and comfortable for them,” said Sahrul.

Sahrul also emphasised the importance of utilising the World-Class Laboratories and Creative Arts Studio as spaces for pupils’ self-actualisation and experimentation.

According to him, the integration of lower and upper secondary levels under one management allows teachers to monitor learning needs continuously, from the exploration stage to the specialised performance stage.

One of the first cohort pupils at SNT 09 Gowa, Afni Afiqah Arifin, said she joined because she was attracted by the broad learning concept and complete laboratory facilities.

Afni, who previously served as student council president, hopes that SNT can become a platform to further hone her leadership skills.

“Initially I felt nervous because of the new environment, but during the orientation everything became very enjoyable because the teachers and friends were very welcoming. I want to make the most of the learning opportunity here to achieve my goals and make my parents proud,” said Afni.