Despite so, the students continue learning by themselves and keep pushing each other to study, warming Muslimah's heart and brings her back to teaching. Grieving, she does not teach for five days, unannounced. A few days later, Muslimah finds him dead at his desk. His wife reveals to him that he refuses to follow her advice.

Muslimah observes Harfan's facial pallor. When they confront him, he belittles the school Muslimah and Harfan take this as a godsent motivation to work harder. Meanwhile, Bakri reveals to Muslimah and Harfan that he accepted an offer to teach at SD Negri Bangka. Since then, the students' grades begin decreasing. Flo, with a thematic appreciation towards their dance, decides to join Muhammadiyah. They were initially laughed at, but later applauded and declared winner. Mahar, skillful in art, is assigned by Muslimah to form an idea for the Independence Day carnival competition, and he proposes an Asmat-style dance. During the succeeding holiday, the boys meet Flo, an SD PN student who gives Mahar one of her National Geographic collections featuring the Asmat tribe. However it is regulated that Muhammadiyah have their final exam at SD PN. Mahmud, a teacher at SD PN Timah, has unrequited love for Muslimah and frequently asks her to join his school while belittling her school Muslimah always rejects this. Zulkarnaen, Muhammadiyahl's assistant, expresses doubt over the legacy of it after the students graduate sixth grade, but Harfan insists, stating it is the only school around that does not prioritize grades such schools show more success rate in students. Through the Islam sessions, Harfan teaches them various lessons of perseverance and humbleness. One day, they see a rainbow forming, and Muslimah dubs the students 'Laskar Pelangi' ('The Rainbow Troops'). Five years later, the students have formed a strong bond. With only nine students, the school loses hope, until the tenth student, Harun arrives. Soon, more join: Ikal, Mahar, Sahara, A Kiong, Borek, Kucai, Syahdan, and Trapan. The first student is Lintang, a boy living in the coastal area whose father is a fisherman, leaving him unschooled. The school is small and poor, resulting in not having a student for a long time. Bakri, awaits ten students as required by law. In 1974, SD Muhammadiyah Gantong, taught by Ms. Children of poor households are stereotyped as having no future who will end up working there. Belitung is known for its richness in tin, making it one of Indonesia's richest islands, though bureaucracy keeps its natives from enjoying it, turning most of them poor and some unemployed most men ended up working at the state-owned tin company PN Timah.

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