Jakarta – The government continues to strengthen the People’s School program as an effort to break the cycle of poverty through education and improving the health of children from vulnerable families. This program not only provides access to education for the poor but also ensures students receive adequate healthcare services to enable optimal learning.
“This year, in this first year, we will graduate 453 People’s School students,” said Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf.
The Minister, familiarly known as Gus Ipul, explained that these hundreds of students consist of 329 elementary school students, 113 junior high school students, and 11 high school students. All students underwent assessments before taking their final exams as part of their learning evaluation and readiness to continue their education or enter the workforce.
“This is in accordance with the President’s directive that People’s School graduates have a clearer future. Graduates can continue their education to a higher level or become skilled workers,” explained Gus Ipul.
Furthermore, the government believes that the quality of education is inseparable from the health of students. The Head of the Government Communications Agency (Bakom), Muhammad Qodari, stated that the Free Health Check (CKG) program was being strengthened to support the growth and development of schoolchildren while improving their learning abilities in the classroom.
“We see many health issues among school-aged children that have previously gone undetected, ranging from anemia and physical fitness to vision problems. The 2025 CKG results show that 60.69 percent of children experience physical insecurity,” he said.
Qodari explained that these health issues directly impact student concentration and academic achievement. The government also found that approximately 27 percent of school-aged children suffer from anemia, which can potentially hinder their growth and development and academic abilities.
“As of May 3, 2026, the government has conducted health screenings on 4.8 million children in 48,000 schools across Indonesia. These screenings found that 41 percent of children have cavities,” Qodari explained.
In addition to dental health issues, the government also found that 22.1 percent of children experience high blood pressure and 8.6 percent experience earwax buildup. These conditions are deemed urgently needed because they can impact the comfort and effectiveness of students’ learning processes at school.
“Through schools, the government is proactively taking the initiative to ensure that all children receive equal basic health services,” said Qodari.
The government hopes that the integration of education and health services through the People’s Schools and the CKG program can strengthen the quality of Indonesia’s human resources from an early age. With better health support, students from vulnerable families are expected to have a greater opportunity to excel and escape the cycle of poverty.