Surabaya — The government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to education for children from underprivileged families through the People’s School program. Social Affairs Minister Syaifullah Yusuf has targeted the construction of 100 permanent People’s Schools annually, in accordance with President Prabowo Subianto’s instructions.
This was conveyed by Syaifullah Yusuf, who is familiarly known as Gus Ipul, when opening the 2026 Technical Guidance for School Principals and Education Personnel for Elementary Schools throughout East Java at the East Java Provincial BPSDM Office, Surabaya, Friday (16/1/2026).
“We’ll add 100 each year, God willing, to meet the president’s target: 100 permanent public schools,” said Gus Ipul.
He explained that the permanent People’s Schools are designed to have complete facilities and a capacity of between 300 and 500 students. Each school will serve elementary, middle, and high school levels, with priority given to children from decile one families or the most economically vulnerable groups.
According to Gus Ipul, the current capacity of Elementary Schools in various regions varies because most still use temporary buildings. This situation means that the number of students they can accommodate is not optimal. With the addition of permanent buildings, capacity is projected to increase significantly to over a thousand students within three years for elementary and junior high schools.
In addition, the Ministry of Social Affairs is also targeting the development of public schools in the 3T (underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost) regions. The government aims for each district to have at least one permanent public school capable of accommodating at least 1,000 elementary and junior high school students as part of national education equality.
The People’s School Program is a strategic policy launched by President Prabowo in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan. At the inauguration, Prabowo expressed his admiration for the potential of the People’s School students.
“I’m frankly amazed today. There’s a child who can speak in several languages. It’s extraordinary. His English is extraordinary,” Prabowo said.
Going forward, the government ensures that the development of the People’s School will continue to be focused on improving service quality and expanding its reach. Regular evaluations are being conducted to ensure this program truly serves as a state instrument in ensuring equal educational opportunities for all Indonesian children. ****