In a statement received here in Jakarta on Tuesday, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said the Sekolah Rakyat programme is a key component of poverty alleviation.
Therefore, its execution synergises with other priority of President Prabowo Subianto's initiative, including housing rehabilitation.
"The children are in school and the parents are integrated into various strategic programmes of the President, such as economic empowerment, BPJS health insurance subsidies, and home renovation," Yusuf said.
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The allocation for the renovation stands at 10,000 houses this year. Of that number, 2,000 have been verified, with 911 homes meeting all requirements. Yusuf mentioned two primary issues prevent the majority of verified homes from meeting the necessary criteria.
"First, the dominant obstacle is land ownership. Second, the beneficiaries are widely scattered, often with only one eligible family per village, whereas current regulations require multiple beneficiaries per location," he explained.
Yusuf proposed that land ownership be verified through documentation from local neighborhood heads (RT), community association heads (RW), or sub-district offices, and that minimum beneficiary thresholds per village be removed.
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"The Sekolah Rakyat uses an outreach system without academic testing to identify students from the lowest income decile who truly need support," he added.
The Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas Maruarar Sirait welcomed the proposal, stating his ministry would coordinate immediately to expedite the housing renovations for parents of Sekolah Rakyat students.
"The President has directed that Sekolah Rakyat is a flagship strategic programme and we fully support its implementation," Sirait said.
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Translator: Arie Novarina
Editor: Fransiska Ninditya
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