Palembang has an area of 399.22 km2 with a population of 1,558,494 inhabitants (in 2014). A total of 293,777 inhabitants or 19% of the population of Palembang City were recorded as students. In 2014 there were 191 children involved in various forms of criminal cases. These children had been prosecuted and convicted so they became inmates of the Children's Penitentiary in Special Children Development Institution (LPKA) Class I Palembang. The number was far above the national average of 95 children separated in the other 33 Provinces, according to data sourced from the Directorate General of Correctional Database System (SDP) in April 2014.

Based on data from the Directorate General of Corrections in 2014, the implementation of non-formal education programs and quality education for child criminals in Indonesia had only reached 24% of the convicted cases, and in Palembang it had only reached 14%. This meant that the rights of these children’s education were still being neglected, so the attempts to foster and build character and restore the live of these children by returning their communities were being unsuccesful.

Seeing these conditions, by upholding the spirit of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) "No One Left Behind", meaning that no child is left behind in getting a quality education, the Palembang Government - through the Education Office in collaboration with the provincial Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the South Sumatra Province together with other stakeholders - initiated the implementation of SELFI/ Formal Education Services for Child Prisoners in LPKA Class I Palembang, with levels of education starting from elementary school, junior high school and senior high school.

Before the SELFI School was held in LPKA Class I Palembang, the child prisoners only attended non-formal education so that their right to get a proper education had not been fulfilled. At present child prisoners in LPKA Class I Palembang can take formal education in SELFI School following the program of the nearest state schools, namely elementary level to SDN 25 Palembang, junior level to SMPN 22 Palembang, SMAN level to SMAN 11 Palembang. Direct teaching staff are competent formal schoolteachers. Besides having a decent class, it is also equipped with library facilities, computer practice rooms, and various extracurricular activities such as: scouts, drum band, martial arts, and character building activities as well as spirituality.
This initiative aims to provide equal opportunities for every child, including child Convicts in LPKA Class I Palembang to get a quality formal education. So, it has an impact on improving the Human Development Index (HDI) of Palembang City, especially in education aspects show the rising graph indicating an increase in the quality of education in Palembang City.

At present the fili SELFI al school in LPKA Class I Palembang has succeeded in graduating students, of which there are graduates who have continued at the next level of education, some have even been accepted to work in various sectors both government and private, using diplomas obtained from the SELFI schools. In addition, there are students who can excel in various competitions carried out by various organizations, both locally and nationally.
This initiative is carried out based on the implementation manual of the management and delivery of special service education in LPKA, including:
1. Identification and Assessment of prospective students
2. Education Management Involving: 1) Education Agency; 2) LPKA; 3) Main School; 4) Companion Teacher; and 5) Society.
3. Student Acceptance Process
4. Curriculum and Teaching Materials
5. Implementation of Learning
6. Grading and Graduation
7. Educators and Educational Personnel
8. Educational Infrastructure
9. Institutional Cooperation
10. Monitoring and Evaluation
The Directorate General of Corrections (Director General PASs) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia has made this innovation a pilot program in the effort to better organize education in LPKA throughout Indonesia. SELFI was then included in the strategic plan of the Directorate General of National Strategy for 2020-2024 discussed on October 24 2019 attended by all Heads of LPKA in Indonesia and Heads of Provincial/ Regency/ City Education Offices in Indonesia. The Head of the Palembang City Education Agency was the guest speaker in the event.
This innovation also inspired the formation of SELFI Schools for street children and school Dropouts in Palembang launched on September 12, 2019 in order to provide equitable, quality and affordable education services for the whole community, considering the dropout rate in Palembang reached 1,278 cases (Education statistics data center 2018).