Jakarta, July 7, 2026 – SMAN 1 Matauli Pandan in Central Tapanuli Regency has officially become the first public senior high school in Indonesia to receive authorization for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, earning the prestigious status of an IB World School.
The IB World School certificate was officially presented on Tuesday (July 7) to Indonesia’s Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Abdul Mu’ti. The ceremony was attended by Dirgayuza Setiawan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Yayasan Pendidikan Kader Bangsa Indonesia (YPKBI), along with representatives of the Yayasan Maju Tapian Nauli.
According to Dirgayuza, IB World School status is an internationally recognized accreditation awarded only to schools that successfully meet the rigorous standards established by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB). The evaluation covers every aspect of a school’s operations, including curriculum, teacher quality, leadership, governance, learning culture, and assessment systems.
With this achievement, SMAN 1 Matauli Pandan joins a global network of more than 5,800 IB World Schools across approximately 159 countries, placing its educational quality on the same international benchmark as leading schools around the world.
Dirgayuza said the milestone demonstrates that Indonesian public schools are capable of meeting world-class educational standards. Until now, IB education in Indonesia has been largely associated with private schools charging high tuition fees. The success of SMAN 1 Matauli Pandan shows that internationally recognized education can also be delivered through the public school system.
The IB Diploma Programme is widely recognized for developing students’ critical thinking, research skills, academic writing, communication abilities, and interdisciplinary learning. Students also complete core components such as Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS), which are designed to foster intellectual curiosity, social responsibility, and real-world problem-solving skills.
Dirgayuza expressed hope that this achievement will inspire more public high schools across Indonesia to pursue international education standards, making world-class education more accessible to talented and motivated students throughout the country.
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