Minister Sadikin made the statement after health screenings conducted on the first day of a Sekolah Rakyat junior high school here on Monday showed most students had dental and vision issues.
“Dental problems were the most common, followed by eye problems. So, they must be given eyeglasses; otherwise, learning will be difficult for them,” he said on Monday.
He informed that local health centers (puskesmas) can conduct eye examinations for students and help them submit claims to state health insurer BPJS Kesehatan to obtain eyeglasses without charge.
“If handled by the puskesmas, the cost of eyeglasses can be claimed through BPJS. Later, they will be given for free. The important thing is to provide the glasses,” he said.
During the health screening, several students with high blood pressure or hypertension were also identified.
“What surprised me was that the hypertension rate was quite high. We will take care of these children to keep them healthy throughout their schooling,” Sadikin added.
Considering that Sekolah Rakyat follows a boarding school system, the Ministry of Health is continuing to optimize regular health checks to ensure students’ well-being and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
“The ministry’s duty is to ensure all students remain healthy until they complete their education. Because they live in dormitories, they are more vulnerable to contagious illnesses; that is why the health check is necessary,” the minister explained.
President Prabowo Subianto has initiated the Sekolah Rakyat program to provide children from low-income and extremely poor families access to quality education.
Related news: Indonesia's Sekolah Rakyat aims to lift children from poverty: PCO
Related news: Orientation begins at Jakarta's Sekolah Rakyat tuition-free schools
Translator: Lintang, Kenzu
Editor: Primayanti
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
