"Construction will begin in 104 locations by Public Works Ministry. Next month the project starts, and it is expected that by June, July, or August next year those are completed," Yusuf said here on Wednesday.
He confirmed that the schools will be funded by the state budget. Each school complex can accommodate up to 1,000 students from elementary to high school levels. The facilities will include dormitories, classrooms, teachers’ housing, and laboratories.
"It has been finalized, the design. If the land belongs to district or municipal government, the students in that school will be from the region. If the land belongs to provincial government, the students are from various districts and cities in that province," he elaborated.
The minister said that all of Sekolah Rakyat's permanent facilities will be managed by Social Affairs Ministry. The educators and staff will also be from the ministry's staff and ranks, he added.
"The operation (of Sekolah Rakyat) is Social Affairs Ministry's responsibility. But we do not do it on our own, because since the beginning, as per President's directive, this is carried out by many ministries," he said.
Sekolah Rakyat is one of President Prabowo Subianto's key initiatives aimed at providing high quality education for children from underprivileged families listed in National Integrated Socio-Economic Data (DTSEN).
The initiative serve as example of integrated effort to tackle poverty, as it combines government's other flagship programs such as Free health checkup (CKG), free nutritious meal, universal healthcare, Red and White Cooperatives, and three million housing.
According to the ministry's data, there are 166 Sekolah Rakyat established in 2025, capable of accomodating up to 16 thousand students of elementary to high school levels in total. It is powered with some 2,400 teachers and more than 4,000 educators.
At the moment, the schools, which are spread across the country, still utilize the ministry's social centers, Manpower Ministry's training centers, and regional governments' facilities.
The government aims to facilitate better learning experience by providing modern technology such as interactive board, laptop, strong internet network, and uniforms, before 2025 ends.
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Translator: M. Riezko Bima Elko Prasetyo, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
