“First, it is our hope that the President will take time to brief Sekolah Rakyat headmasters and teachers,” he told the media at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He added that the Head of State is also expected to directly launch the operations of the school sites during the initial phase of the national program, which aims to provide quality education to children from economically disadvantaged families.
According to Yusuf, the government is planning to carry out the briefing and launch in September 2025, by which time the number of operational People’s Schools is projected to increase.
The minister noted that a total of 70 Sekolah Rakyat have started teaching and learning activities, with their number expected to reach 100 by mid-August. An additional 59 sites are targeted to begin operations in September.
He pointed out that the 159 Sekolah Rakyat are expected to serve as many as 15,370 students in 620 learning groups across elementary, junior high, and senior high school levels in the 2025–2026 academic year.
The inclusive schools will be staffed by 2,407 teachers and 4,442 non-teaching education personnel, he added.
Separately, secretary general of the Social Affairs Ministry, Robben Rico, said that the 159 schools are spread across Indonesia, with 34 located in Sumatra, 65 in Java, 7 in Bali and Nusa Tenggara, 13 in Kalimantan, 28 in Sulawesi, 7 in Maluku, and 5 in Papua.
He emphasized that the ministry remains open to proposals for additional sites from regional governments.
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Translator: Fathur R, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Primayanti
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