CCN, Cilegon (27/01/2023). Today, SMP Negeri 1 Cilegon is already 65 years old (1958-2023). At that time, the only government junior high school in Cilegon which was established on January 9th, 1958, was located in Acing(currently the location is near from the late Tb. Aat Syafa’at house), it was known as SMP Acing.
Entering the era of 1962, a Trikora Steel Factory was established in Cilegon which was a new chapter for the industrial era in the Cilegon and National regions. The Trikora industry grew rapidly and around 1970 there was a change in the Trikora Steel Factory to become PT. Krakatau Steel and its subsidiaries. The rapid industrial development in Cilegon also has an impact on other sectors such as education, trade, services, and an ever-increasing population. The livelihoods of the Cilegon residents, who were originally mostly farmers, turned into laborers, traders, and so on. This change was very fundamental, from an agricultural area to an industrial area.
As stated above, about 4 years before the founding of the Trikora steel factory in 1958, a junior high school was built at Jalan Bojonegara, Acing Pegantungan, Jombang Wetan Village, Cilegon, which was the forerunner to SMP Negeri 1 Cilegon. This school was established on January 9, 1958, and was a class away from the SMP Negeri Serang Regency, West Java Province at that time. Around the 1970, the State Middle School which was located in Acing Pegantungan was relocated to Jalan Stasiun No. 34 The Jombang Wetan Village, which at that time was a former prison during the Dutch colonial era, was later built by the Korem Maulana Yusuf Banten so that it was known as the Maulana Yusuf Middle School.
By the times, in 1982 the Government of Serang Regency at that time stipulated that each sub-district in the Cilegon area had to have one public junior high school and because of regional expansion several junior high schools were opened around Cilegon and the Cilegon State Middle School became State of junior high school 1 Cilegon.
Aff. Bayu Panatagama as Chair of the SMPN 1 Cilegon Committee said that at that time in the Cilegon District, Pulomerak District, Bojonegara District, Waringin Kurung District, Mancak District, and Anyer District, there was only one Public Middle School, namely Cilegon State Middle School. Since the beginning, Cilegon State Middle School has become a favorite junior high school because young people are scrambling to get into Cilegon State Middle School.
Cilegon is on the northwestern tip of the island of Java, on the edge of the Sunda Strait. This city used to be part of the Serang Regency area, then upgraded to an administrative city status, and since April 20, 1999, it was designated as a municipality (the term municipality was replaced with a city in 2001). In its development, several state junior high schools have been established in several districts.
“Currently, January 9th, 2023, SMPN 1 Cilegon is even 65 years old, quite old indeed and of course full of experience and a myriad of academic and non-academic achievements. also went to school at SMPN 1 Cilegon and will never forget his alma mater,” he said.
Since around 1992, the teachers have been improving their academic competence with bachelor’s qualifications and a few years later the teachers already have bachelor’s qualifications with the title of S.Pd. either through scholarships, pilot projects, or independently.
In 1993 this school’s achievements took part in competitions and were always present at the fast-paced events held by TVRI. And from 2012 until now there have been many teachers whose qualifications are Master in education.
The success of an educational institution is inseparable from the achievements and competence of teachers and school leaders as mandated by the late teachers and previous school principals who should not be forgotten even though some of them have retired and those who have passed away may be placed in heaven.
“Thank you to the teachers who contributed to the long journey of SMPN 1 Cilegon, such as H. Achmad Hudjaeni (late), Hj. Asni Bustami (late), Arifudin (late), H. M. Saleh Sudjana (late), Hj. Sawati (late), Hj. Sultia, Hj. Nani Kartini (late), Hj Tjitjih Lestari, Hj. Sultiah, Empi Supriadi (late), Andi Ertadi (late), Yayat (late), and others that we cannot mention one by one. The school principals since its initial establishment until now are currently leading SMPN 1 Cilegon, such as Suparyan (late), H. Achmad Basuri (late), H. Muhammad Saleh Sudjana (late), Hj. Asni Bustami (late), Azhar Suradi (late), H. Yusuf Arifana (late), Saleh Juprani (late), H. Achmad Hasan, Sulaeman, Ruliyanto, and currently SMPN 1 Cilegon is led by Hj. Reny Damayanti (who is also the daughter of the late Hj. Asni Bustami), ” he said.
Thanks to educators (teachers) who are competent in their fields, graduates of SMP Negeri 1 Cilegon which are also excellent schools, polish them even stronger, so many of them can reach their final goal, which is to study at ITB, and several well-known tertiary institutions, and many of them graduate.
“Hopefully now and in the future SMPN 1 Cilegon that we love will continue to create a golden generation for Indonesia in the future, Happy 65th Anniversary of my school, the anniversary of our school, ” he concluded.
(Editor:Ahdi)
