Jakarta – Director General of Science and Technology (Dirjen Saintek) Ahmad Najib Burhani stated that Sekolah Garuda is driven by a mission to strengthen the nation’s top talents in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), with the goal of increasing interest, meeting industry demands, and producing experts in STEM fields.
According to Najib, strengthening STEM education was one of the main reasons behind the establishment of Sekolah Garuda. He noted that Indonesia has a high demand for science and technology experts, particularly to support industrialization and downstream development. However, interest in STEM fields and the supporting educational ecosystem remain limited.
“Our university graduates are not yet dominated by STEM fields, even though industry demand is very high. Therefore, the ecosystem must be built starting from senior high school,” he said.
Najib added that Sekolah Garuda is designed based on what he referred to as the “one percent rule.” This concept reflects the idea that the state needs to facilitate around 1 percent of students who demonstrate exceptional or genius-level abilities and extraordinary talent, a group that he believes has not received optimal support.
“Often when we talk about inclusivity, the focus is on persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. But there is a segment of society that is frequently overlooked—highly gifted children. They may be small in number, but their potential is enormous,” Najib explained.
He also emphasized that Sekolah Garuda is a strategic program aimed at promoting equitable national education development.
“This school is not built on Java Island, but rather placed in regions with great potential that still face challenges in access and acceleration of educational development. We believe there is significant potential in the regions that is no less than what exists in Java,” Najib stated.
Similarly, Director of Strategy and Transformative Learning Systems (SSPT) at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Ardi Findyartini, explained that there are four flagship curricula that distinguish SMA Unggul Garuda from other schools in general.
“There will be four curricula implemented, including a STEM reinforcement curriculum, the national curriculum, a character development curriculum for boarding school students, and an international curriculum,” Ardi said.
Going forward, she added, graduates will also be prepared to participate in the Garuda Scholarship Program, which aims to provide access for the nation’s top talents—regardless of background—to compete globally.
“This program will provide opportunities for the best talents, whether from regular schools or Sekolah Garuda, to compete and pursue undergraduate studies abroad,” she stated.
With the implementation of this innovative curriculum, Sekolah Garuda is expected to serve as a catalyst in producing an outstanding generation ready to propel Indonesia forward on the global stage.