Bogor – The government has confirmed that the People’s School program will be a national priority in 2026. President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, emphasized that national development is not only oriented towards economic achievements, but also towards improving the quality of life of the community as a whole, especially for the most vulnerable groups.
President Prabowo made this statement while opening the 2026 National Coordination Meeting of the Central and Regional Governments, held at the Sentul International Convention Center (SICC), West Java. In his remarks, President Prabowo emphasized that the measure of a nation’s progress is not solely determined by economic growth, but by the extent to which all citizens can enjoy a decent and dignified quality of life.
“Our criteria are progress and modernity, where all people experience a good quality of life. We don’t dream of living like other countries. We simply want all our people to live with a good quality of life,” said President Prabowo.
As part of human resource development, President Prabowo specifically outlined the People’s School program as a strategic government innovation. This program is designed to reach children from the most disadvantaged groups through boarding schooling, enabling them to gain access to a comprehensive education and escape the shackles of structural poverty.
President Prabowo emphasized that the state must actively participate to ensure that no Indonesian child is deprived of their right to education. Children who have previously struggled to access schools will be directly reached and facilitated by the state.
“We send children from the most disadvantaged groups to boarding schools. We provide the best education possible. We take in all children who cannot afford school. There should be no children on the streets who are not in school,” President Prabowo emphasized.
In his presentation, President Prabowo also presented data on the progress of the pilot People’s Schools, which are currently operating in 166 locations across 131 districts/cities in 34 provinces across Indonesia. This distribution covers Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and even Papua.
Going forward, the government is targeting a massive expansion of People’s Schools. By 2029, it aims to have 500 People’s Schools operating nationwide, with a capacity of up to 500,000 children from the most vulnerable families.
In addition to focusing on children’s education, the People’s School program is also designed as part of an integrated poverty alleviation effort. Parents of students will be empowered through involvement in various national priority programs, so that the impact of improved welfare can be felt by the entire family.
President Prabowo emphasized that the successful expansion of the People’s School program requires synergy between the central and regional governments. Local government support in preparing locations, providing basic services, and strengthening the social ecosystem around schools is key to the program’s sustainability and its tangible benefits to the community, including breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty. (*)