UMY Opens Cambridge-Curriculum Muhammadiyah Sapen Universal School Junior High
Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) is continuing to contribute to the development of education, extending into primary and secondary schooling. Having established SD Muhammadiyah Sapen Universal School (MSUS), UMY has now opened SMP MSUS, which will follow the Cambridge curriculum.
UMY Rector Prof Achmad Nurmandi said the new junior high school was established in response to requests from parents whose children attend SD MSUS. Like the primary school, SMP MSUS will use the Cambridge curriculum.
“In Indonesia, there are the national curriculum, national-plus, Cambridge and international curricula. We have chosen the Cambridge standard and curriculum. This means some subjects will follow international curricula,” Achmad said after the grand launch of admissions for the 2027/2028 academic year at the SD MSUS building in Tamantirto, Kasihan, Bantul, on Saturday (17 October 2026).
Alongside opening SMP MSUS, UMY is preparing to establish a senior high school.
“We have land on Jalan Titibumi, in Ambarketawang, Banyuraden, Sleman, and will build there. God willing, on the 21st [of October] there will be a groundbreaking, beginning with pile drilling for the building,” Achmad said.
“God willing, in eight months the structure and some of the building can be completed to receive the first junior-high cohort. There will be two buildings, planned for the junior and senior high schools. Once the junior high school is accepting students, we will also build the senior high school building. They will be twin buildings,” he added.
Achmad said that high-quality schools at primary and secondary levels were not new to Muhammadiyah. They were also a practical contribution by the organisation to improving education in Indonesia.
“ Muhammadiyah has had these for a long time. A hundred years ago, it began establishing primary and secondary education institutions, from kindergartens right through to senior high schools,” Achmad said.
“We hope Muhammadiyah will have excellent schools. We know that parents, particularly those in the middle and upper-income groups, aspire to find schools whose education standards are above the national standard,” he added.
SMP MSUS head’s comments
SMP MSUS head Dr Bachtiar Dwi Kurniawan said the school was the result of a new initiative. Muhammadiyah schools at primary and secondary level have generally been run by the organisation’s provincial or district/city branches.
“This is a new initiative: a junior high school under a Muhammadiyah business unit and a university. This is new for Muhammadiyah,” Bachtiar said after the launch of admissions for the 2027/2028 academic year at the SD MSUS building in Tamantirto, Kasihan, Bantul, on Saturday (17 October 2026).
“We are introducing the junior high school because we want to raise the quality of education in Yogyakarta and offer a modern, high-quality alternative with global standards. This cannot be done through a donation and contribution model, which may be slower, even if reliable. We are accelerating the process, so it is being established under UMY’s business unit,” he added.
Bachtiar said SMP MSUS would accept 90 students in its first intake, divided into three classes of 30. Although admissions had only just been launched, he said parents had already shown strong interest.
“About 10 students have already reserved places with us, ready to join MSUS. Some are for 2027, and others have reserved places for 2028 and even 2030,” Bachtiar said.
“We aim to improve quality to international standards, with modern, futuristic facilities. Tuition and education fees will be commensurate with the facilities and quality we provide,” he said.