Ministry Promotes Educational Equality Through Garuda School Program

KBRN, Jakarta: Targeting the development of 100 elite educational institutions (Garuda School) by 2029, Deputy Minister of Trade Dyah Roro Esti Widya Putri confirmed the government's plan to build and transform schools in disadvantaged, frontier, outermost (3T) areas during her working visit to Southwest Papua on Tuesday, December 23, 2025.

The Sekolah Garuda (Garuda School) initiative aims to erase the stigma of centralized education by upgrading existing schools and building 20 new facilities from scratch in underserved regions to ensure top-tier human resource development.

"The government is present and ensuring that education can be accessed in every corner of Indonesia," she said while visiting Averos Senior High School, East Sorong Subdistrict, Sorong City, Southwest Papua, which was selected as part of the national Garuda School program, as quoted by Antara.

In a statement released in Jakarta on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, Dyah said the government continues to strengthen its presence in Papua to ensure local children receive the best education on par with other regions. During the visit, she witnessed firsthand the great potential of Papuan students, who are capable of creating technological innovations and health research.

Dyah expressed belief that Garuda School exists to ensure these extraordinary talents are not hindered by limited access. "Our presence here is to directly observe the school's condition and ensure that the strategic program from President Prabowo Subianto is properly implemented to provide high-quality education," she emphasized.

During the visit, Dyah was accompanied by the President's Special Envoy for Tourism, Zita Anjani, and the Governor of Southwest Papua, Elisa Kambu.

"The government is here not just to visit, but to ensure that our younger brothers and sisters in Sorong have a bridge to the world stage. Garuda School is proof that the state is fully committed to equalizing the quality of education; we want Papuan children to become future leaders," she added.

Dyah also noted that educational access remains limited for students outside of Java. "Through Garuda School, we want to erase the stigma that superior education only exists in large cities. In Papua, talent in science and technology is real and the government is ready to support it," she expressed.

Garuda School is a flagship government program focusing on high-quality education in the fields of science and technology. The program aims to ensure that every top talent in the nation has an equal opportunity to pursue their education.

Furthermore, Garuda School is expected to build superior Indonesian human resources who possess strong character and are ready to conquer global challenges. The government targets the construction of 100 Garuda Schools by 2029, consisting of 80 Transformation Garuda Schools that improve existing top schools and 20 new Garuda Schools built in 3T regions. ***