JAKARTA – The government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the development of Public Schools as a step to equalize access to education for underprivileged communities. President Prabowo Subianto made this statement after inspecting the Margaguna Public High School (SRMA) in South Jakarta.
President Prabowo explained that the government is targeting the construction of 100 new public schools annually. With this target, it is hoped that within five years, 500 public schools will be established in areas with the lowest economic conditions, including the lower middle class.
“We are currently planning this so that all our children can experience education with good facilities. We must not be left behind by other nations. That is our goal. God willing, we will achieve it,” said the President.
According to President Prabowo, the development of public schools is a concrete intervention to prevent children from low-income families from dropping out of school. He emphasized that public schools are not only places to learn, but also a means of building self-confidence and providing a quality education.
“We pull out children who may have felt inferior because their parents’ lives were so difficult. We provide them with the best possible environment so they are confident and receive the best education we can provide,” he said.
During his visit, the President also assessed that the facilities at SRMA Margaguna were adequate to support student comfort. He cited the presence of dormitories and other educational facilities as evidence of the improving quality of public schools.
“Yes, we always have hope. But this is actually an excellent campus. I think it’s already very good for schools in Indonesia,” he added.
Support for this program also came from the Minister of Environment and Head of the Environmental Management Agency (BPLH), Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, who visited the Tabanan Public School. Hanif emphasized the importance of free, environmentally friendly, and inclusive education as part of the President’s vision.
“The Public School is a manifestation of the President’s concern for underprivileged families. It is also a strategic space for instilling ecological awareness from an early age,” he said.
Hanif added that the climate crisis is a major challenge of this century, so environmental education must be a crucial part of national transformation.
“Environmental education must be a pillar of national transformation. We are preparing a resilient and sustainability-conscious generation,” he added.