By: Dewi Puteri*
The government has demonstrated its strong commitment to building the nation’s future through the launch of the People’s School program, a visionary breakthrough that aims to eradicate poverty from its roots. This program is not just a form of attention to the education sector, but also a real form of the state’s support for the poor who have been marginalized from access to quality education. With a comprehensive approach, namely free, boarding, and empowerment-oriented, People’s Schools have become a symbol of new hope for millions of the nation’s children to escape the cycle of poverty and face a brighter future full of opportunities.
People’s Schools are designed as inclusive educational institutions that not only provide free access to learning, but also elevate the dignity of children from poor families through empowerment and development of potential. In its implementation, People’s Schools will provide educational facilities from elementary to high school levels, with a boarding system that allows students to focus on learning without being burdened by the family’s economic conditions. The initial target for development is 200 schools this year, with the first 53 units having been prepared using government-owned buildings that will be renovated as needed.
High hopes for this program were conveyed by various government figures. Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Abdul Wachid, stated that the People’s School is expected to truly become a tool to break the chain of poverty. The free education offered by this school is expected to prevent poverty from being passed on to the next generation. With the existence of the People’s School, children from poor families have the opportunity to change their future, no longer trapped in the fate of their parents who have to live in economic limitations.
This program is also in line with the vision of the development of the golden generation of 2045. Providing quality education for all levels of society, including the most marginalized, is an absolute requirement for producing superior human resources in the future. Education must be an instrument of social vertical mobility that opens the way for children from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve a better life.
President Prabowo Subianto, as the initiator of this program, emphasized that the People’s School is not only a means of education, but also a major strategy in community empowerment. In his direction, the President said that if a child’s father works as a scavenger, then his child should no longer be a scavenger. The state must be present to open a way out of poverty in a dignified manner, and education is the first and main door to change.
The government is targeting the construction of 200 People’s Schools each year. In the next five years, it is hoped that each district will have at least one People’s School, especially in areas with extreme poverty pockets. This approach uses poverty distribution data as the basis for school location placement, so that the distribution of benefits is more targeted. With a broad and systematic scope, this program can be a strong foundation in creating equal education throughout the country.
In terms of educational substance, the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti said that the People’s School curriculum will be adjusted to the needs and characteristics of students. The multi-entry and multi-exit system allows students to enter at any time and move up a class according to their learning achievements, not just following the annual classical system. This flexibility provides more space for students with different socio-economic backgrounds to continue to catch up on their gaps in formal education. In addition, teacher recruitment will also be carried out specifically to ensure that the quality of teaching at People’s Schools is not inferior to other public schools.
Meanwhile, in terms of infrastructure, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said that accelerating the provision of facilities and infrastructure is the main focus. A total of 53 initial locations have been determined, utilizing existing assets owned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and local governments. Although the buildings are already available, the process of renovation and addition of facilities is still needed so that the buildings are suitable as conducive places to learn. In addition to the 53 schools that use existing buildings, 147 other schools will be built from scratch in the near future. Seeing the seriousness of the government in implementing this program, the People’s School deserves full support from all elements of the nation. Not only as a means of poverty alleviation, the People’s School can also be a symbol of resistance against structural injustice in the world of education. Access to equal and quality education is the right of every child of the nation, not a privilegee that can only be enjoyed by a few people.
Human development begins with education. The People’s School offers new hope, not only for children from poor families, but also for the future of the nation as a whole. If implemented consistently, transparently, and accountably, this program can be a turning point in the history of Indonesia’s social development. Poverty, which has been a hereditary legacy, can be ended by providing a bridge to a brighter future through education.
Therefore, the existence of the People’s School is not just a development project, but a reflection of the state’s responsibility in maintaining the dignity of its citizens. With education as the main weapon, children from the lowest levels of society have the right to dream and realize those dreams. The People’s School is the state’s promise that poverty is not destiny, and every Indonesian child has the right to get the same opportunity to achieve a better future.
*The author is an Education Personnel
