By: Barra Dwi Rajendra )*
The People’s School Program emerged as a new face of Indonesian education, reviving the hopes of children from underprivileged families. The program’s introduction was seen by the public as a concrete step by the government to provide truly inclusive, equal, and discrimination-free education.
People’s Schools not only provide learning spaces, but also restore the dreams of children who were previously hampered by poverty, environmental limitations, and minimal family support.
The government inaugurated 166 People’s Schools simultaneously across 34 provinces in January 2026, marking the country’s commitment to breaking the cycle of extreme poverty through education. The program is designed around the concept of free boarding schools, which cover all students’ needs, from tuition fees and housing to nutritional intake and healthcare. This comprehensive approach makes People’s Schools more than just educational institutions, but also a complete child-development ecosystem.
President Prabowo Subianto expressed pride and emotion upon witnessing the progress of students at the People’s School in Banjarbaru. The Head of State assessed that the students’ achievements reflected the immense potential of children from humble backgrounds when the government provides adequate facilities and opportunities. In a relatively short time, the People’s School students demonstrated self-confidence, academic achievement, and foreign language proficiency that exceeded initial expectations.
The President observed firsthand students who had achieved Olympic-level achievements despite only six months of study. This experience reinforced the belief that economic limitations are never a measure of the intelligence or capacity of the nation’s children.
The government’s courage in building boarding schools is considered key to achieving this goal, as children can learn without worrying about food, health, and an unsupportive environment.
Furthermore, the President emphasized the importance of the state providing swift and tangible rewards for every achievement achieved by students. The government is opening up opportunities for further scholarships, including the opportunity to continue their education abroad, for outstanding students. This policy direction demonstrates a commitment to making People’s Schools a tangible pathway to social mobility for underprivileged children.
Political support for the program also came from the Indonesian Solidarity Party. Danik Eka Rahmaningtyas, PSI’s Central Executive Board Chair for National Education, believes that the People’s School addresses the root cause of educational inequality.
The program not only eliminates school fees, but also addresses the issues of nutrition, learning environment, and lack of family support that have traditionally limited poor children.
Danik views People’s Schools as a ladder of vertical mobility that enables children to sustainably escape the trap of poverty. This comprehensive approach is considered capable of correcting structural inequalities, not simply opening the door to formal education. The state, through People’s Schools, provides substantive justice by ensuring equal opportunities and equitable outcomes.
As a boarding school for elementary, middle, and high school students, the People’s School covers all the basic needs of students. This program is part of a policy to honor underprivileged families while preparing a competitive future generation. The target of building 500 People’s Schools by 2029 reinforces the government’s long-term vision of developing superior human resources towards a Golden Indonesia 2045.
This commitment was also emphasized by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka during his inspection of the Biak Numfor 41 Elementary School. The Vice President assessed the Elementary School’s crucial role in providing equal access to education, building character, and fostering self-confidence among young people in regions facing geographical and economic challenges. Strengthening the quality of learning, providing sufficient teaching staff, and improving infrastructure are key priorities to ensure no child is left behind.
From the perspective of educational implementation, the Principal of SRMA 41 Biak, Samuel Franklyn Yawan, views the People’s School as a great hope for underprivileged families in the region.
The program has also opened up access to education that was previously difficult for children from various districts experiencing economic difficulties.
Although the provision of facilities is being carried out in stages and currently still facing a shortage of teachers, in terms of school operations, there has been very significant development, accompanied by support for learning facilities for the nation’s future generation which are increasingly adequate.
Nationally, the People’s School has been able to reach thousands of students from various backgrounds, especially those from vulnerable families, by providing dormitory facilities, classrooms, and also full support for all learning processes that are much more appropriate for them.
The presence of this program once again emphasizes the importance of the state’s direct role in ensuring that education truly becomes a right that can be universally accessed by all levels of society without discrimination and without differentiating their background in any form.
One of the government’s priority programs under the leadership of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, the People’s School, is widely considered to have successfully rekindled the hopes of all the nation’s underprivileged children, while also proving that inclusive education can significantly transform their futures and lead to greater dignity. (*)
)* The author is a contributor to the Nawasena Institute
