Permanent Sekolah Rakyat in Banjarbaru to Commence Operations on 15 August

The Ministry of Social Affairs has scheduled the permanent Sekolah Rakyat (SR) in Banjarbaru City, South Kalimantan, to begin operations on 15 August 2026, following the preparation of supporting facilities for the student orientation period across all levels. Radna Dwi Sartika, Head of the Budi Luhur Centre in Banjarbaru and the person in charge of the Banjarbaru SR, stated that operations at the permanent school will utilise facilities that are ready for use, while construction on other parts of the complex continues. “The permanent SR in Banjarbaru is currently in progress. We are preparing functional infrastructure for the MPLS,” she said in Banjarbaru on Wednesday. She noted that the environmental orientation period for primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary school students will be held in the primary school complex, as its facilities are currently the most prepared compared to other buildings. “The primary school complex has adequate classroom capacity to accommodate orientation activities for all levels, with 14 classrooms available for use during the period,” she said. Radna explained that the 15 August schedule is an adjustment after earlier plans for 14 July and 31 July could not be realised due to site conditions not yet supporting student activities. She said the schedule adjustment considered student safety, as construction activities are still producing dust and involving heavy vehicle movement. Additionally, forest and land fires around the permanent SR location in Banjarbaru are a concern, as smoke and dust from firefighting efforts are not yet conducive to a learning environment. Radna stressed that dormitory readiness is a priority before students occupy the permanent SR. The physical structure of the dormitory is nearly complete, but improvements to several supporting facilities are still underway. These improvements include installing window grilles to enhance student safety and mosquito screens to support student health during their boarding education. “After the two-week orientation period, learning activities at the permanent SR in Banjarbaru will continue with a matriculation phase as a period of adjustment for students to the school’s education system,” Radna said.