Taruna Nusantara Senior High School (also called ''Tarnus'' or ''TN'') is a

boarding Boarding may refer to: *Boarding, used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals as in a: **Boarding house **Boarding school *Boarding (horses) (also known as a livery yard, livery stable, or boarding stable), is a stable where hor ...

senior

high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...

with a high-rated discipline that is located in

Magelang Regency Magelang () is a regency in Central Java, Indonesia, famous for its 9th century Buddhist temple of Borobudur. Its capital is Mungkid. It covers an area of 1,129.98 km2 and had a population of 1,181,723 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Statist ...

Central Java Central Java (, ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia, located in the middle of the island of Java. Its administrative capital is Semarang. It is bordered by West Java in the west, the Indian Ocean and the Special Region of Yogya ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

. The school gains a reputation from its strong emphasis on national valuesBantuan Lembaga Perguruan Taman Taruna Nusantara
in addition to exceptional academic and leadership achievements. The school and its teaching method have been referred to as "the inspiration for the setting up of other top schools in Indonesia." ''Taruna Nusantara'' can be translated as "

Patriot A patriot is a person with the quality of patriotism. Patriot(s) or The Patriot(s) may also refer to: Political and military groups United States * Patriot (American Revolution), those who supported the cause of independence in the American R ...

of The

Archipelago An archipelago ( ), sometimes called an island group or island chain, is a chain, cluster, or collection of islands. An archipelago may be in an ocean, a sea, or a smaller body of water. Example archipelagos include the Aegean Islands (the o ...

." The word ''Taruna'' itself also generally refers to Indonesia's military

cadet A cadet is a student or trainee within various organisations, primarily in military contexts where individuals undergo training to become commissioned officers. However, several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime ...

, which has no direct relation to and should not be confused with the school and its students.

History

The idea for the school was made by then-Indonesian Minister of Defence and Security, Gen.

Leonardus Benjamin Moerdani General officer, General (Ret.) Leonardus Benjamin Moerdani (also publicly known as L. B. Moerdani or Benny Moerdani and in foreign media as Murdani; 2 October 1932 – 29 August 2004) was the Indonesian National Armed Forces, ABRI Commander from ...

in 1985. He envisioned a civilian school that could educate the country's best talents and produce graduates who could continue carrying forward the national mission set by the nation's

founding fathers The Founding Fathers of the United States, often simply referred to as the Founding Fathers or the Founders, were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence ...

. It was then followed by the signing of MoU by

Indonesian Armed Forces The Indonesian National Armed Forces (; abbreviated as TNI) are the military forces of the Republic of Indonesia. It consists of the Army (''TNI-AD''), Navy (''TNI-AL''), and Air Force (''TNI-AU''). The President of Indonesia is the Supreme ...

and ''Taman Siswa,'' which is among the first local and formal educational groups in Indonesia, to set up and support a foundation called ''Lembaga Perguruan Taman Taruna Nusantara'' (LPTTN). It is this foundation that eventually crystallised Gen. Moerdani's vision and subsequently oversaw the operational process of the school. The school was unveiled by the then-Commander of Armed Forces, Gen.

Try Sutrisno Try Sutrisno (; born 15 November 1935) is an Indonesian retired army general who served as the sixth vice president of Indonesia from 1993 to 1998. Born in Surabaya, Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), Try graduated from the Army Technical Aca ...

in 1990. The whole campus, consisting of the school compound, students' dormitories, and teachers' housing complex, occupied an 18.5 ha site, donated by the neighboring

Indonesian Military Academy The Military Academy ( or ) is a service academy of the Indonesian Army, part of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Academy (). Founded on the early stages of the Indonesian Revolutionary War and located in the city of Magelang in Central J ...

. During the first six years, the school admitted 245 male students every year. Starting from 1996, it became a

co-ed Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...

school by accepting the first batch of 70 female students, and to accommodate this change, the school area was expanded to 23 hectares. To be able to attract outstanding teenagers, the school, backed by the politically and financially strong

Armed Forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...

, offered full scholarships to all students. Its teachers also enjoyed above-average salaries and facilities. However, after the severe

Asian currency crisis The 1997 Asian financial crisis gripped much of East and Southeast Asia during the late 1990s. The crisis began in Thailand in July 1997 before spreading to several other countries with a ripple effect, raising fears of a worldwide economic meltd ...

in 1997 and the change in the national political landscape thereafter, the school faced financial difficulties and withdrew its scholarship scheme in 2002 or when accepting its thirteenth batch of students. To date, some needy students still receive the scholarship, which is sponsored by private corporations, state's departments, local and regional governments, or its alumni.

Features

Although the school is sometimes referred to as having military-like discipline, it is not in any way similar to the military. The school curriculum is no different from the national education curriculum; all students receive the same education as others at senior high schools in Indonesia, with additional courses and activities being specifically added to develop nationalism and leadership among the students as emphasized by the founder's original goal. Contrary to many public opinions, students who graduated from the school do not have any obligation to attend the military academy and may choose to continue their higher education freely.

Selection process

The school screening process for applicants includes academic, physical, and psychological tests, health checks, and interviews.

Curriculum

In delivering its lessons and developing its pupils, the school focuses on three aspects: nationalism, patriotism, and national culture. These aspects are reflected in its curriculum: besides studying based on the compulsory national curricula, the students must take special subjects that are not taught elsewhere to people of their age, namely Leadership, Nationalism, and National Defence.

Leadership development programs

To prepare its students to become leaders in their respective fields and contribute back to society, the school provides leadership opportunities through a combination of both theoretical concepts and practical application of leadership principles. The school runs classroom lectures on leadership theories, organizational behavior, and public speaking, just to name a few. To make sure that leadership opportunities are available to every student, and not only the selected few, the school has a rotation program, where all students are alternatingly assigned to a class and/or dorm leader position for one week.

Other activities

* Basic education of discipline and leadership. All pupils of freshman year join this basic education process, which may consist of nationalism education and basic military training. During this period, they are not allowed to make any contact with outside parties, including their own families, the purpose being to strengthen their independence and self-confidence. * Journey of Gen. Sudirman. One of the field activities of the students is to take part in a journey on foot to jungles and mountains, simulating a guerrilla war led by General

Sudirman Sudirman (; 24 January 1916 – 29 January 1950) was an Indonesian military officer and revolutionary during the Indonesian National Revolution and the first commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. Born in Purbalingga, Dutch East Ind ...

, a famous military leader during the Indonesian National Revolution. The journey follows a 15 km (about 9.4 miles) route and takes in one day. *Camps and social works. Students have camps and social work to attend. In many cases, the camps require them to stay in the wilderness under minimal supervision, a method believed to cultivate their sense of survival.

Extracurricular activities

Extracurricular activities available at Taruna Nusantara include the Student Board Organization (''Organisasi Siswa Intra Sekolah / OSIS''), Student Representatives (''Majelis Perwakilan Kelas / MPK''), Ceremonial Platoon (''Peleton Upacara / Tonpara''), School Security Patrol (''Patroli Keamanan Sekolah / PKS''), Color Guard Section (''Pasukan Tanda Kehormatan / Pataka''), ''Gita Bahana Nusantara'' Marching Band (''GBNMB''), First Aid Club, Debating Society, Sports Team (Soccer, Tennis, Volley, Swimming, Athletic), Arts and Performances (''Gamelan'', ''Rampak Gendang'' and Band).

Study Team

Students of SMA Taruna Nusantara are known for their top achievements in academic competitions, for instance, science olympiads (KSN, OSN, and international olympiads), debate competitions, etc. Extracurricular teams that provide a place for students to upskill themselves in those academic proficiencies are: *Aeromodeling (Aeromodeling team) *Prasasti (School Magazine Team) *KIRTARA (KIR SMA Taruna Nusantara, Student Science Club) *Fractura (Photography team) *Tomat (Mathematics Olympiad Team)
Elephyte
(Electromen and Physics Team) *Cesium (Chemistry Squad with Incredible and Unbeatable Members) *BioHolic (Biology Team) *TNCC (Taruna Nusantara Computer Club)
Astrogank
(Astronomy Olympiad Team) *TNEC (Taruna Nusantara Economy Club) *Granity (Geology and Geography Taruna Nusantara Community) *Hiperbola (Indonesian Language Team) *TNESC (Taruna Nusantara English Speaking Club) *TNT (Taruna Nusantara Ni Hon Go Team) *Deutsch Club (German Language Club) *TNRC (Taruna Nusantara Robotic Club) *Konsisten (Civic Education Team)

Principality

Another feature of the school is the qualification of its principals who, before the time of incumbency, were high-ranking military officers, with the exception of the first principal, who previously was a rector in a local university. The principals: *

Prof Jacob Lukas Anderson (born April 29, 1984), better known by his stage name Prof, is an American rapper, singer, and producer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He released his first full-length album, ''Project Gampo'', in 2007 and has since relea ...

Dr Tarwotjo Tjitrosoedjono;

M.Sc. A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medicine ...

(1990–1994) * MajGen Bambang Hartoyo;

M.B.A. A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular a ...

(1994) * BGen drs Sadja Moeljoredjo (1994–1998) * BGen Bambang Pradjuritno;

L.L.B. A Bachelor of Laws (; LLB) is an undergraduate law degree offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree and serves as the first professional qualification for legal practitioners. This degree requires the study of core legal subje ...

(1998–2004) * BGen (Ret) drs Untung Susoro (2005–2006) * BGen (Ret) Djuwari Sarmyanto

(2006–2010) * Cdre (Ret) Djoko Sasongko (2010-2011) * BGen (Ret) Bambang Sumaryanto, S.E., M.M. (2011-2013) * BGen (Ret) Wahid Hidayat, S.I.P. (2013-2015) * BGen (Ret) Adi Widjaja,

(2015-2016) *

Drs. Doctorandus (; ; drs.) is a Dutch academic title according to the pre-Bachelor–Master system. The female form is doctoranda (dra.; this form is not commonly used). The title is acquired by passing the ''doctoraalexamen'', the exam which usually ...

Usdiyanto, M.Hum (2016-2018) * BGen (Ret) Soebagio, S.I.P. (2018-2019) * Maj. Gen. (Ret) Suhartono Suratman (2019-2024) * BGen Imam Gogor Agnie Aditya (2025-present)

Best Graduates

Top graduates of the school are awarded the 'Garuda Trisakti Taruna Tama' Medal, which has three classes: gold, silver, and bronze. Awardees are selected based on their academic accomplishments, leadership competence, personality, character, and physical fitness.

Notable Alumni

Taruna Nusantara High School graduates do not always pursue a career in the military. Many choose to become entrepreneurs, academics, scientists, or enter the world of politics. A number of graduates have held strategic positions in government agencies, even serving as ministers in the

Red White Cabinet The Red and White Cabinet (, abbreviated as KMP) is the current Cabinet of Indonesia. It was sworn in on 21 October 2024 by President Prabowo Subianto. Although the cabinet was formally activated on 21 October 2024, two of Prabowo's cabinet a ...

. Some notable alumni: * Kristomei Sianturi (TN 2),

Indonesian Army The Indonesian Army ( (TNI-AD), ) is the army, land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,400 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its roots in 1945 when the (TKR) "People's Se ...

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (born 10 August 1978), commonly referred to as AHY, is an Indonesian politician and former Major (rank), army major who is currently serving as the leader of the Democratic Party (Indonesia), Democratic Party. Serving in ...

(TN 5), Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development *

Sugiono Sugiono (born 11 February 1979) is an Indonesian politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Indonesia), Minister of Foreign Affairs, a position he assumed in 2024 under President Prabowo Subianto's administration. Prior to ...

(TN 5),

Minister of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...

Prasetyo Hadi Prasetyo Hadi (born 28 October 1979) is an Indonesian politician of the Gerindra Party serving as minister of state secretariat since 2024. From 2020 to 2024, he was a member of the House of Representatives House of Representatives is the ...

(TN 6), Minister of the State Secretariat * Teddy Indra Wijaya (TN 15), Cabinet Secretary of Indonesia * Aditya Halindra Faridzky (TN 18), Regent of

Tuban Tuban is a town located on the north coast of Java, in Tuban Regency (of which the town is the administrative capital), approximately west of Surabaya, the capital of East Java. Tuban Regency is surrounded by Lamongan Regency in the east, Bojo ...

Notes

External links

* Official website *
Ikatan Alumni Taruna Nusantara Website
Alumni website {{coord missing, Indonesia Boarding schools in Indonesia Educational institutions established in 1991 Schools in Indonesia Buildings and structures in Central Java Education in Central Java 1991 establishments in Indonesia Magelang Regency