“Everything is currently being prepared. Hopefully, by July, at the start of the new academic year, we can launch Sekolah Rakyat,” Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo Priyono stated after participating in a free cataract surgery event here on Thursday.
Priyono remarked that President Prabowo Subianto has instructed that 100 Sekolah Rakyat locations begin operating this year.
“In July 2025, at the start of the new academic year, 100 schools of Sekolah Rakyat will be opened. Preparations are underway. Almost all ministries are involved in the process of establishing these schools,” he stated.
He noted that each Sekolah Rakyat location can accommodate around one thousand students.
If all 100 schools meet that target, a total of 100 thousand children from low-income and extremely poor households will be enrolled in the program by July this year, he added.
“The candidates will be selected by the Ministry of Social Affairs in collaboration with village governments and local social affairs offices. We emphasize the importance of a strict selection process to determine eligible students,” he remarked.
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The government will fully cover all students' needs, including uniforms, school supplies, meals, and boarding facilities. The schools will also be equipped with places of worship, educational and sports facilities, and laboratories.
Priyono stated that students will receive character-building education to strengthen nationalism, religious values, and social awareness, as well as receive skills training.
Through the Sekolah Rakyat program, the government aims to empower children from poor families with knowledge, character, and skills, thereby helping to break the cycle of poverty in Indonesia.
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Translator: Khumaini, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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