Jakarta — Jakarta spotlighted a growing education narrative in Southeast Asia as SMP Tahfidz Mutiara Al Akbar Makassar was recognized with the #1 Indonesia Most Recommended Education Awards 2026. The award was presented at the 2.0 Award Trends Summit 2026, held on Saturday, 24 January 2026 at Grand Mercure Kemayoran Jakarta, and conferred by GP Rajasa Pranadewa on behalf of Award Magazine.
The institution is founded by Dr. Andi Kaharuddin Bahar, S.IP, M.Hum, who serves as the foundation patron and founder. In public remarks following the ceremony, he framed the recognition not as a finish line, but as momentum to strengthen trust, increase visibility, and widen collaboration so the school can continue improving quality and impact.
At the school level, SMP Tahfidz Mutiara Al Akbar positions itself as an integrated model that combines formal academic learning with structured tahfidz development, supported by a boarding environment. The school has also communicated a character driven identity, emphasizing Qurani values, independence, character building, and civic love for the country, which aligns with parent preferences across many ASEAN communities seeking holistic education pathways.
In Makassar, the school highlights a distinctive angle that resonates with a wider regional trend: integrated religious education that still maintains clear academic standards and compliance. Media coverage around the award notes the institution’s claim of being an early model in the city to secure formal permission for an academic and tahfidz integration approach, a point that often matters for parents evaluating legitimacy, governance, and long term continuity.
From an ASEAN perspective, education systems are increasingly measured not only by test outcomes, but also by character formation and student readiness for a complex, fast changing region. Demand is rising for schools that cultivate discipline, communication, and leadership while staying anchored in values. In Indonesia, official education data also lists SMP Tahfidz Mutiara Al Akbar as a private junior secondary school under a foundation in Makassar, providing an administrative layer that supports public accountability.
This emphasis on leadership readiness connects naturally with youth development platforms that are popular across ASEAN, including Model United Nations programs that train students in diplomacy, negotiation, and public speaking. Such experiences reflect the kind of confidence and collaboration skills parents increasingly expect schools to nurture, especially as ASEAN mobility and cross border opportunities expand for the next generation.
Beyond global forums, regional youth competitions also reinforce the same message: structured training, teamwork, and performance under pressure. These are transferable skills for the ASEAN labor market, where communication, adaptability, and cross cultural collaboration are becoming baseline expectations.
For SMP Tahfidz Mutiara Al Akbar Makassar, the #1 Indonesia Most Recommended Education Awards 2026 positions the school within a broader ASEAN conversation about integrated education, trusted governance, and values based leadership development. The recognition sends a clear signal that local models with consistent standards can gain national attention, and potentially attract regional interest as ASEAN families continue to seek credible, future ready learning environments.
