Ahmad Luthfi recognized for initiating Indonesia's first Partnership School Program

Central Java Governor Ahmad Luthfi has been recognized as the initiator of Indonesia’s first Partnership School Program (Sekolah Kemitraan). The award was presented by Jawa Pos Radar Semarang during an event in Semarang on September 25, 2026.

The program utilizes the capacity of private schools to expand educational access, addressing the shortage of seats in public institutions. Currently, the Central Java provincial government partners with 139 private schools, including 56 high schools (SMA) and 83 vocational schools (SMK), providing a total capacity of 5,004 seats. For the 2026/2027 academic year, 3,676 students have already been admitted through this initiative.

Under the program, the education costs for students from underprivileged families are covered by the Central Java provincial budget (APBD). Luthfi stated that the program aims to reduce poverty through education by providing opportunities for low-income children. This initiative is particularly significant given that public schools in the province can only accommodate approximately 40.83 percent of the estimated 567,500 junior high school graduates.