Sekolah Rakyat is a free education initiative launched by the government to improve access to education and reduce poverty.
“The President has instructed us to ensure that the 53 Sekolah Rakyat sites are prepared with careful planning,” Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf said at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He added that the President wants the program to be implemented with precision from the planning phase to implementation and eventually graduation.
Yusuf noted that additional locations may be added beyond the initial 53 sites.
Currently, the Ministry of Public Works is surveying several potential locations for inclusion in this year's program.
The Sekolah Rakyat initiative is aimed at families living in poverty, especially those classified in the extreme poverty category (Decile 1).
“The President hopes the enrollment process is taken seriously and free from irregularities, meaning that student selection should be based strictly on the eligibility criteria,” Yusuf said.
In 2025, the government plans to establish 200 Sekolah Rakyat, starting with 53 pilot sites.
These schools will be located in districts or cities that meet key criteria such as land availability, poverty levels, and supporting infrastructure, he added.
On Wednesday, President Prabowo met with several ministers, including Yusuf and Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati, to discuss the progress of the program.
Sekolah Rakyat is scheduled to launch in the 2025–2026 academic year. It will be financed through the state budget and private-sector funding.
Teacher recruitment is already underway, involving civil servants, contract teachers, and graduates of the Teacher Professional Education Program.
The curriculum is currently being finalized by a team led by Prof. Muhammad Nuh, with additional training scheduled to begin in June 2025.
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Translator: Fathur Rochman, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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