No Longer Boring, This Is How the Creative "Jagat Literasi" Boosts Reading Interest Among SMPN 20 Semarang Students

SEMARANG, KOMPAS.com – The spacious white-tiled auditorium at SMPN 20 Semarang, Central Java, has been transformed into a lively creativity lab.

Dozens of students in scout uniforms sit in small circles on the floor.

In front of them, pieces of assembly materials, black plastic wheel segments, wires, batteries, and instruction manuals are neatly scattered.

Guided by facilitators wearing blue vests labeled Jagat Literasi, the students' fingers busily and carefully match each precise component to build educational projects.

Uswaton Hasanah, Public Relations at SMPN 20 Semarang, welcomes the interactive learning space brought to her school.

She believes practical literacy and science approaches like this are essential to spark the learning interest of hundreds of students.

"The hope is that the kids develop a self-awareness to engage in literacy on their own without being told. But nowadays, maybe the way kids approach literacy is different," Uswaton said during the Jagat Literasi event on Friday (18/9/2026).

She noted that many students still feel reluctant to read books, so various methods are needed to attract their interest in reading.

"If we don’t do that, I’m sure the kids would also be reluctant to open books," she added.

Free from Tidal Floods for the Last Two Years

Uswaton explained that SMPN 20 Semarang currently accommodates about 758 students divided into 24 learning groups (rombel).

Located in a coastal area, this public school often faced threats from tidal floods and rainwater flooding up to half a meter high at the front gate.

However, in the past two years, the operation of a pumping station near Kaligawe has successfully freed the school compound from water accumulation.

"Our school is in a coastal area. A few years ago, when it rained, flooding always occurred. But for about two years since I've been here, there hasn’t been any flooding impact, probably because the pumps near Kaligawe in Semarang have been functioning. So the water no longer flows into here," she explained.

Though the school is one of the favorites and always filled with thousands of applicants during new student admissions, Uswaton admitted that the socio-economic backgrounds of students’ parents are very diverse, mostly from middle to lower income groups.

"There are about 758 students. Most of them live near the school. So the economic conditions of their parents are like that. Mostly, factory workers make up the largest group here. The number of fishermen is starting to decline," she added.

Ban on Bringing Motorcycles to School

In addition to literacy, SMPN 20 Semarang also enforces strict rules regarding student arrivals.

The school strongly prohibits students from bringing motorized vehicles for traffic safety reasons, so most students are brought by their parents, use online motorcycle taxis, or ride bicycles.

"The school rule is that children aren’t allowed to use motorized vehicles to go to school. They may use online motorcycle taxis or bicycles. But motorcycles are not allowed inside," she emphasized.

Hoping for More New Books in the Library

Meanwhile, Adam, a student at SMPN 20 Semarang, said he enjoyed participating in the Jagat Literasi program with Kompas.com.

"The activities are fun," Adam said.

He admitted to being interested in reading history books. According to him, many lessons can be learned from history books.

After participating in the Jagat Literasi activities, he hopes there will be many new books in the SMPN 20 Semarang library.

"If there are new books in the library, I would be interested," Adam said.

Reaching 13 Provinces in 2026

In 2026, Jagat Literasi activities reached 13 provinces across Indonesia.

Initiated by Kompas.com, this program aims to distribute about 7,000 reading books to 36 to 39 schools in remote regions to provide more learning access for Indonesian children.