Good news came on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, when the government, through the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek), officially announced that SMA Kesatuan Bangsa Yogyakarta had been included in the 2026 Garuda Transformation Model High School (SUGT) category. This program targets high schools and Islamic high schools with a strong track record of academic achievement, which will then be further strengthened through teacher capacity building, science- and technology-based curriculum enrichment, and student mentoring aimed at admission to the world’s top universities. Until the date, there are 42 schools throughout Indonesia that manage to be in this SUGT category.

The government is collaborating with renowned universities such as the University of Indonesia, the Bandung Institute of Technology, and IPB University for SUGT development program to provide comprehensive enrichment, ranging from collaborative research and international teacher training to strengthening students’ STEM competencies and soft skills. SUGT serves as a key instrument in integrating secondary and higher education within a single sustainable ecosystem. The programme is designed to produce graduates who are not only academically excellent, but also possess strong character, are adaptable, and capable of competing on a global scale. Broadly speaking, SUGT forms part of the nation’s long-term investment.

In general, Mr Husein Abdillah, the school principal emphasised that SUGT will not affect the policies, traditions and strengths of SMA Kesatuan Bangsa. SUGT will, in fact, bring benefits in the form of more intensive enrichment programmes and teacher development. Furthermore, the continuity of students’ preparation for higher education can be better guaranteed. For example, it is hoped that there will at least be scholarships available for students planning to continue their studies abroad, with the necessary exam preparation, such as for the IELTS and SAT, he added. []