Governor Luthfi Makes Education the Key to Reducing Poverty in Central Java

Education is said to play a crucial role in enhancing human resources with competitiveness, said Luthfi, in a written statement on Wednesday, 4 March 2026. He made the comment at the inauguration and handover ceremony of Decrees (SK) for Principals and Functional Officials of PNS and PPPK at Wisma Perdamaian, Semarang. The Central Java Provincial Government said it continues to intensify efforts to reduce poverty. As of September 2025, poverty in Central Java stood at 9.39%, or about 3.34 million people, down from the previous 9.58%. During the event, Luthfi reorganised officials at 645 state education units (SMA Negeri, SMK Negeri, and SLB Negeri) through rotations and promotions. The SK handover was symbolically given to 164 principals who attended in person, consisting of 43 rotations (22 SMA, 16 SMK, 5 SLB) and 121 promotions (66 SMA, 51 SMK, 4 SLB). Other principals attended online. Additionally, 17 functional PNS officials and 3,018 PPPK were sworn in. Of these, 30 PPPK teachers and 89 PPPK non-teachers attended in person, while 2,899 attended online. In his address, Luthfi urged the new appointees to carry out their duties with full responsibility and integrity. “We must implement this in line with professionalism, with care, and with responsibility,” he stated. He also urged all principals, PPPK, and functional officials to remain humble and not adopt a hedonistic stance. According to him, principals and teachers should be role models for students, with daily behaviour reflecting a characterful, noble, and ethical personality. Meanwhile, one of the newly promoted principals, Berti Sagendra, said he was pleased with his appointment as head of SMKN 6 Semarang. He said he was ready to shoulder the responsibilities of managing the school. One focus is to strengthen linkages between schools and the business and industrial sectors so graduates have clearer employment prospects. “Because I am at SMK, the challenge is to prepare human resources ready to become entrepreneurs, work, and continue on. After students graduate, SMK must consider how to channel them. So there is a lot of thinking involved,” said Berti. Another PPPK teacher at SMKN 1 Boyolali, Agus Nugroho, said the long wait of more than a decade to be appointed as a PPPK Teacher has finally materialised under the 2025 formation. He has now received a PPPK SK and been assigned as a religious studies (agama) teacher at his school. “Very happy indeed. For many years we were honorary teachers; now we are officially PPPK and have received the SK appointing us as a functional teacher in agama. Very happy,” he said. For Agus, PPPK status is a moral responsibility and a form of dedication to the profession he has pursued for so long. “We must keep trying to give what we can with sincere devotion. To my colleagues, stay motivated and serve with true sincerity. Hard work does not deceive,” he added. (ega/ega)