Indramayu's Sekolah Rakyat deploys smart boards to support digital learning

Sekolah Rakyat Terintegrasi (SRT) 40 in Indramayu Regency, West Java, is utilising smart boards in every classroom to support digital teaching and learning activities for students from poor and extremely poor families. SRT 40 Indramayu Head Mardiani stated on Thursday that all classrooms at the school have been equipped with smart board devices as a learning medium. Additionally, each student at the school receives a laptop unit for use during lessons. “At Sekolah Rakyat, there is one smart board per class. The children also get laptop facilities, one student, one laptop for learning,” she said. The government also provides all educational necessities for the learners, ranging from uniforms, stationery, and dormitory accommodation to learning support equipment, entirely free of charge. Mardiani explained that Sekolah Rakyat implements an academic curriculum like regular schools, but combined with a character curriculum delivered through the boarding school system. “At Sekolah Rakyat, there are two curricula, namely the academic curriculum, which is the same as regular schools, and the character curriculum applied in the dormitory,” she said. Currently, SRT 40 Indramayu accommodates 100 students, consisting of 50 primary school pupils and 50 junior secondary school pupils. Meanwhile, the Acting Head of the Indramayu Regency Social Service, Waskam, said construction of the permanent Sekolah Rakyat building in the Cikawung area, Terisi District, has reached over 80 per cent and is targeted for use in the new academic year. He said that in the new academic year, the school will accept 270 students from primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary levels, bringing the total number of learners to 370. “All education costs at this Sekolah Rakyat are free. This school is intended for people in decile 1 and decile 2 categories, or poor and extremely poor families,” Waskam said.