Speaking after a closed-door meeting with President Prabowo Subianto on Monday, Yusuf said the orientation period will last two to three months before full academic activities begin. Classes will commence as each school unit completes its preparations.
Each Sekolah Rakyat class will accommodate an average of 25 students, with the number of classes varying by location.
“Some schools may have two classes, while others may have up to four,” Yusuf said.
He also revealed that the government aims to expand the program with an additional 100 schools, supported by the Ministry of Manpower, which has provided underused facilities for the initiative.
“If possible, we hope to integrate both stages to reach over 20,000 students,” he noted.
Yusuf emphasized that President Prabowo has given full support to the program and plans to directly brief headmasters and teachers involved.
During his recent state visit to Russia, Prabowo ordered the expansion of Sekolah Rakyat to 200 locations nationwide.
Ministry of Social Affairs Secretary General Robben Rico added that future phases of the program will use facilities managed by provincial, district, and municipal governments, as well as those provided by the Ministry of Manpower.
Sekolah Rakyat is a government initiative to provide free, high-quality education for children from poor and underprivileged families. The program aims to break the cycle of poverty, reduce dropout rates, and improve the quality of Indonesia’s human resources.
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Translator: Andi F/Galih P, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Anton Santoso
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