People's School reaches Talang Mamak tribe in Jambi hinterland

Three teenagers from the Talang Mamak indigenous community — Kevin Saputra (18), Rio Ardianto (18), and Rido (20) — could not hide their nervousness when Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf asked why they chose to enrol in the People’s School (Sekolah Rakyat). “What do you aspire to be?” Gus Ipul asked. “I want to be a soldier, Sir,” Kevin replied. “And you?” the minister continued, pointing at Rido. “A policeman, Sir,” he answered firmly.

The three youths come from the Talang Mamak tribe, an indigenous community living in the hinterland of Jambi around the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park, specifically in Semerantihan Hamlet, Suo-Suo Village, Sumay District, Tebo Regency. They had only been staying at the dormitory for two days to undergo an adjustment period when the minister held an open house with parents and prospective students of the People’s School at the Alyatama Centre in Jambi City on Friday, 5 June 2026.

Sarah Kurniani Rahayu, an officer at the Alyatama Centre’s Technical Implementation Unit under the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation of the Ministry of Social Affairs, said the three teenagers were prospective students identified through field screening conducted in collaboration with the Indonesian Conservation Community (KKI) Warsi. She explained that in the 2026 academic year, at least 11 prospective students from the Talang Mamak tribe will join the Jambi City People’s School. Eight will pursue junior secondary education, while three will continue to senior secondary level. “The three who will continue to senior secondary level have already arrived for adaptation, while the others will follow. For now, they are staying at the Alyatama Centre dormitory. Once learning activities begin, they will join the other students,” she said.

KKI Warsi Programme Officer Hariyanto explained that the 11 prospective students were the result of field screening driven by the students’ own desire and parental support. According to Hariyanto, access to education for the Talang Mamak community remains suboptimal. The government-provided integrated primary and junior secondary school has not been running optimally because it only has two teachers. Moreover, poor road access and difficult geographical conditions often hamper the teaching and learning process. As a result, learning activities have never been able to take place optimally. “Our data shows there are around 30 primary school students in remote classes and about 50 junior secondary students. Many of them eventually drop out because the teaching and learning process is ineffective,” Hariyanto explained. This is despite the Talang Mamak children’s interest in schooling being relatively high compared to other indigenous groups in Jambi, such as the Suku Anak Dalam, who still maintain the tradition of temporary relocation or melangun.

Muhamad Eko Desryanto, Acting Head of SRMA 5 Jambi City, said that starting in the 2026 academic year, the Jambi City People’s School is opening primary and junior secondary levels, while the senior secondary programme is entering its second year. Based on screening results so far, 28 prospective students have registered for primary level, 142 for junior secondary, and 43 for senior secondary. “Last year we already had 98 senior secondary students. This year we have just opened primary and junior secondary levels, and interest in junior secondary is quite high, exceeding a hundred people,” Eko said.