“The Sekolah Rakyat program was created as an instrument to break the cycle of poverty by providing adequate, quality, and accessible education for children from economically disadvantaged families,” she noted in a statement received in Jakarta on Monday.
She described the national priority program as a follow-up to Article 28 and Article 29 of the international treaty, which aligns with the 1945 Constitution and was ratified through a 1990 presidential decree, later adopted into Law No. 35 of 2014 on Child Protection.
Article 28 of the convention guarantees every child’s right to education, while Article 29 states that education is intended to help children develop their personality and fully harness their talents as well as their mental and physical abilities.
In this regard, Fauzi emphasized that the program serves as a government strategic step toward fostering a safe environment that supports children’s growth and development.
“The learning scheme under this program goes beyond academic achievements, as we equally aim to help children develop character and social skills by providing them with a supportive environment and meeting their nutritional needs,” she explained.
Furthermore, the minister stressed that although it adopts the full-boarding school concept, the program does not relieve parents of their responsibility to teach, protect, and nurture their children.
“In practice, the Sekolah Rakyat program is oriented toward four basic rights of children: the right to live, the right to grow and develop, the right to protection, and the right to participation,” she added.
Children enrolled in the program receive free quality education, meals, and health examinations while being protected from child labor. Fauzi noted that students have “opportunities to actively participate in school activities and plans.”
On January 12, President Prabowo Subianto symbolically launched the operations of Sekolah Rakyat facilities established at 166 locations nationwide, including 35 sites in Sumatra, 70 in Java, seven in Bali and Nusa Tenggara, 13 in Kalimantan, 28 in Sulawesi, seven in Maluku, and six in Papua.
He also announced a government target to open at least 500 similar schools across Indonesia by the end of his term in 2029.
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Translator: Anita P, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Arie Novarina
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