Sekolah Rakyat Choir Performs at Independence Day Ceremony at Merdeka Palace
The atmosphere of the 81st Anniversary of Indonesian Independence commemoration at Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, was made even more festive with the performance of the Sekolah Rakyat Orchestra Choir.
A total of 100 Sekolah Rakyat students from various regions in Indonesia had the special opportunity to attend and be part of the independence celebration at Merdeka Palace. They performed the song ‘Hari Merdeka’ together with the Gita Bahana Nusantara National Choir.
The students appeared enthusiastic and full of joy as they sang the independence songs. Waving small Red and White flags, they performed neatly dressed in Sekolah Rakyat safari uniforms complete with berets and school identity badges.
Of the 100 students who performed, seven were high-achieving Sekolah Rakyat students who had recorded achievements at the national level. They were Akbar Farrel Areva from SRMA 13 Bekasi, West Java; Ajeng Irma Azil Liyah from SRMA 7 Palembang, South Sumatra; Agustina Ramadani from SRMA Samarinda, East Kalimantan; Zahira Al Zahra from SRMP 18 West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara; Salwa Dzakila Asmar and Fahrani Ramadhani from SRMA 26 Makassar, South Sulawesi; and Ribka Elisabeth Rumpampam from SRMA 29 Jayapura, Papua.
The seven students had achievements in various fields. Akbar won a gold medal at the OSSN National Olympiad in Mathematics. Ajeng won a gold medal at the National Level Nusantara Science Competency (LKN). Agustina won a silver medal at the National Level Scientific Writing Competition.
Meanwhile, Zahira won a gold medal in the martial arts branch at the national level in the 2026 Ariska Championship (LAC). Salwa and Fahrani each won gold medals at the 15th Indonesian National Olympiad in Biology and Mathematics respectively. Ribka won third place in the choir at the Festival Senandung Anak Bangsa.
The performance at Merdeka Palace was prepared through a gradual training process. The Sekolah Rakyat student representatives had been training during August in their respective regions.
Subsequently, integrated training in Jakarta was conducted twice to strengthen vocal blend, harmony, and cohesion before performing at the 81st Independence Day ceremony.
One of the students who performed, Raisya Putri Ahmad from SRT 4 DKI Jakarta, admitted she was very happy to have the opportunity to perform at Merdeka Palace.
“Happy, joyful, and very excited because when else could I come here,” said Raisya, in a written statement on Monday (17/8/2026).
According to Raisya, she and the other students underwent intensive training for about two weeks and participated in two to three dress rehearsals at the location.
The opportunity to perform before President Prabowo Subianto was also a very valuable experience. Raisya admitted she felt more confident because she could demonstrate abilities that had not been widely known until now.
“Here I can perform in front of everyone with confidence. And I can show my talent that has been hidden all this time,” said Raisya.
Raisya also expressed appreciation to President Prabowo Subianto for the existence of Sekolah Rakyat, which she said had provided space for children to rebuild their aspirations.
“Mr Prabowo Subianto, thank you for creating Sekolah Rakyat which has enabled us to rise again and start dreaming again,” said Raisya.
Meanwhile, another student, Ridho Rudiyansyah from SRT 4 DKI Jakarta, admitted he was happy because the performance at Merdeka Palace was his first experience.
“Very happy, because it’s the first time,” said Ridho.
For the students, the opportunity to perform in the 81st Anniversary of Indonesian Independence commemoration was not merely about being part of a show. The moment became a valuable experience for building self-confidence, pride, and love for the homeland.
With their voices blending with the Gita Bahana Nusantara National Choir and small Red and White flags in their hands, the Sekolah Rakyat students became part of the independence celebration while demonstrating that children from various regions have the opportunity to grow, achieve, and perform on the national stage.