President Prabowo Subianto launched the program at the South Kalimantan Center for Social Welfare Education and Training (BBPPKS) on Monday.
Yusuf explained that the initiative is specifically designed to provide educational opportunities for children from underprivileged families.
“The Sekolah Rakyat program is an effort to break the cycle of poverty, as children from impoverished backgrounds traditionally remain in poverty. We must dare to make changes," he said, adding that the nation must not surrender to circumstances.
He noted that the program has already been implemented at 166 locations across 34 provinces.
The initiative currently involves 15,954 students supported by 2,218 teachers and 4,889 technology personnel.
“These students come from families in concerning conditions, with 60 percent of their parents working as daily laborers, farmers, or small-scale traders,” the Minister added.
Yusuf emphasized that the program is a cornerstone of the government’s efforts to improve national education quality, especially for children from underprivileged families, and expressed hope it would provide better educational opportunities.
He also delivered a stern warning that there must be no bribery or corruption involved in the enrollment process.
“The President’s directive is very clear: there must be no illegal payments to attend Sekolah Rakyat,” he stressed.
The Minister concluded that the program is the result of close cooperation between the government, the community, and various stakeholders.
“We hope that this program can provide significant benefits for the community, especially for children from underprivileged families,” he said.
Related news: Sekolah Rakyat model for integrated poverty alleviation, minister says
Related news: Indonesian govt reviews implementation of Sekolah Rakyat
Translator: Gunawan, Kenzu
Editor: Arie Novarina
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
