Kendari Mayor Ensures Integrated Public School Facilities Support Student Development

Kendari Mayor Siska Karina Imran has confirmed that the facilities at Sekolah Rakyat Terintegrasi (SRT) 2 in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, are optimally designed to support the development and learning enthusiasm of students. “Of course, I am happy because talking about schools and education is the most fundamental thing in our lives, especially in improving the Human Development Index,” said Mayor Siska Karina Imran after inspecting the SRT 2 facilities on Monday. She assessed that the infrastructure at SRT 2 is among the best in Kendari, thus eliminating the quality gap in educational facilities between different school levels. “The facilities are very impressive, even the best among schools in Kendari. So, there is no difference between public schools, private schools, and Sekolah Rakyat,” she stated. Amid the school orientation period, she urged students to make the most of the facilities for their personal development, character building, and achievements. “With the government providing these extraordinary facilities, they must be enthusiastic and grow from within, develop a strong personality, and make the region and the country proud,” she said. She explained that the existence of SRT 2 is the result of collaboration between the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Public Works’ Strategic Infrastructure Task Force, the Kendari City Government, and the local leadership coordination forum. Kendari is one of 38 districts/cities in Indonesia included in the initial phase of the central government’s Sekolah Rakyat development programme. The mayor revealed that the school is prioritised for children from underprivileged families. The city government has identified approximately 1,000 out-of-school children in the area to be integrated into this educational facility. “Our hope is that these identified out-of-school children can be enrolled here, so that there are no more children in Kendari who are not in school for any reason,” she explained. In addition to ensuring adequate facilities, the mayor also stressed the importance of creating a safe learning environment free from bullying. “Wherever the school is, there must be no bullying. Whether it is a Sekolah Rakyat, a public school, or a private school, there must be no bullying in Kendari,” she added.