JAKARTA — The Garuda Schools Program, initiated by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek), is seen as a strategic government initiative to strengthen the transition toward a national education system that is of higher quality and globally competitive.
This program is designed as an integrated ecosystem that encompasses the development of new flagship schools, the strengthening of existing schools, and sustained support extending through higher education.
As part of strengthening this ecosystem, the government launched the Garuda Transformation Excellence High School (SUGT) 2026 program.
Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, emphasized that the SUGT program is a crucial instrument in fostering connectivity between secondary and higher education.
“This program is designed to foster graduates who are not only academically outstanding but also possess strong character and are ready to compete at the global level,” he stated.
Brian emphasized that the Garuda Transformation Excellence High School program targets high schools (SMA/MA) with a strong track record of academic achievement.
“Selected schools will receive support through various strategic interventions, ranging from teacher capacity building, science and technology-based curriculum enrichment, to student mentoring to help them gain admission to the world’s top universities,” he explained.
Director General of Science and Technology, Ahmad Najib Burhani, stated that this program is part of the phased development of the Garuda School ecosystem.
“This year, there are plans to add around 30 new schools as part of the expansion to reach 80 schools by 2029,” he explained.
He added that collaboration with universities is key to delivering comprehensive enrichment.
Several leading universities, such as the University of Indonesia, Bandung Institute of Technology, IPB University, Jakarta State University, and Padjadjaran University, are involved in supporting the capacity building of schools, teachers, and students.
These various capacity-building programs include international training for teachers such as SAT and IELTS, collaborative research, strengthening STEM competencies, and the development of students’ soft skills and personal branding.
Meanwhile, Director of Strategy and Transformative Learning Systems, Ardi Findyartini, added that this program is built on three main pillars.
“This program is designed to ensure every student has equal opportunities to develop into future leaders,” she said.
Since its launch in 2025, the program has reached 12 schools and had a ripple effect on 680 high schools and Islamic high schools across various regions.
