Bogor – Efforts to strengthen equitable access to education continue through the expansion of Sekolah Rakyat (People’s Schools) in various regions. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to ensure more equal access to education, particularly for underprivileged communities, so that no one is left behind in obtaining proper educational services.
Deputy Minister of Social Affairs, Agus Jabo Priyono, stated that the expansion of Sekolah Rakyat is an accelerated step to widen educational reach. He emphasized that the program is designed so its benefits can be felt immediately by the public.
“The addition of Sekolah Rakyat is aimed at accelerating education equity, especially for communities that need closer and more affordable access to education,” he said.
According to him, the expansion goes beyond the previously implemented development phases and serves as a rapid response to on-the-ground needs.
“This is an addition beyond phases one through three and must be carried out immediately so that the target of equitable education can be achieved more quickly,” he added.
One of the locations currently being prepared is the Human Resources Development Center for Transportation Apparatus (PPSDMAP) under the Ministry of Transportation in Bogor Regency. The utilization of assets owned by ministries and government agencies has become an effective solution to accelerate school operations.
“Facilities that have been used for training will be optimized into Sekolah Rakyat to support education equity,” he explained.
Gradually, the development of Sekolah Rakyat has been implemented in several phases. In the first phase, the government established pilot projects at 166 locations. The second phase focuses on building permanent schools in 104 locations, while the third phase is preparing around 100 additional sites.
In its implementation, functional readiness is the top priority to ensure that teaching and learning activities can begin as soon as possible. Agus emphasized the importance of basic facilities.
“The priority is to have classrooms, dormitories, and dining facilities ready. Other supporting facilities will be developed gradually,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Directorate General of Strategic Infrastructure at the Ministry of Public Works, Essy Asiah, confirmed that infrastructure readiness is being finalized.
“In general, the locations are already suitable for use, with only minor improvements needed before they can be fully operational,” she said.
On the other hand, Head of PPSDMAP and Acting Secretary of the Human Resources Development Agency of the Ministry of Transportation, Ali Fikri, stated that the available facilities are adequate.
“With the current capacity, these facilities can accommodate more than 150 students, and can be expanded further as needed,” he explained.
Through the expansion of Sekolah Rakyat, the government remains optimistic that education equity will continue to improve, opening wider opportunities for communities to access quality education.
