"The Ministry of Social Affairs has several locations that can be used to start this school program. In some areas, we have centers and buildings that are ready for use," Minister Yusuf remarked after a meeting with Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai here on Tuesday.
Regarding the program's implementation, he spoke of having gathered insights from multiple sources, including Prof. Mohammad Nuh, who served as Minister of National Education from 2009 to 2014.
His team has also reviewed several schools, including one in Sukoharjo, Central Java, which has been providing opportunities for children from extremely poor families to go to school.
Yusuf indicated that he would report his findings regarding this school and other aspects related to the Sekolah Rakyat initiative to President Prabowo Subianto to ensure the program aligns with the president's goals.
The minister affirmed that his side would work in conjunction with other ministries and government agencies, including the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, to advance this initiative.
"We want to break the cycle of poverty through education and provide broader opportunities for these children, with the eligibility (criteria) being that they come from poor families," he explained.
Regarding the number of children eligible for Sekolah Rakyat, Minister Yusuf clarified that eligibility will be determined based on data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), especially concerning extremely poor families.
According to BPS data, the extreme poverty rate as of March 2024 stood at 0.83 percent of the total population of 281 million people.
Related news: Minister Mu'ti awaits presidential instruction for school renovation
Related news: School enrolment zoning to prevent favoritism: minister
Translator: Prisca, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
