By: Irfan Nurmaji)*
The government is taking progressive steps to ensure the quality of inclusive education through the development of flexible curriculum for People’s Schools. This initiative is a form of state presence in providing access to education for children from poor and very poor families who have so far faced obstacles in obtaining quality education.
In preparation for the 2025/2026 school year, the Ministry of Social Affairs is preparing a special curriculum that will be used nationally in all Elementary School units. This curriculum is designed using the Multi Entry–Multi Exit concept , which gives students the freedom to determine their learning path according to their needs and interests.
The applied learning model emphasizes a tailor-made approach, allowing the teaching and learning process to be adjusted individually. This approach is considered a breakthrough in the world of education, considering that students come from various backgrounds with different abilities. With this approach, the People’s School is expected to become an adaptive and humanistic learning space.
Secretary General (Sekjen) of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Robben Rico, said that the preparation of the People’s School curriculum was carried out through intensive discussions with cross-ministerial and institutional bodies. This approach ensures that the curriculum design is not only based on theory, but also on best practices from various leading educational institutions.
As part of the formulation process, the Ministry of Social Affairs conducted a comparative study to selected schools such as MAN Insan Cendekia Serpong, CT Arsa Sukoharjo, and Al Hikmah Batu. This study provides a broad perspective in designing curriculum substance that can answer the needs of students from vulnerable groups.
The benchmarking results show that the success of leading schools lies in the arrangement of consistent and relevant learning experiences for all students. This is an important input for the Ministry of Social Affairs to develop a People’s School learning model that is not only academic, but also builds character.
The initial steps that will be implemented before the start of the learning process are the orientation period and diagnostic assessment. This is an important part of the system that aims to recognize the potential and needs of each student. With the right understanding, the learning process will run more effectively and meaningfully.
The People’s School curriculum not only targets academic achievement, but also emphasizes strengthening character, spirituality, love of the homeland, and language mastery. This approach is expected to be able to create graduates who excel and have high integrity.
Robben Rico also emphasized that this curriculum applies to all levels of education, from elementary school to high school. Although the learning content is adjusted to the level, the structure and approach remain consistent. This is important to maintain the continuity of the learning process throughout the school period.
In its preparation, the Ministry of Social Affairs collaborated with the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Religion, and the private sector. This collaboration resulted in curriculum materials that are modifications of models that have been successfully implemented in existing schools.
With this approach, the curriculum content is simply adjusted to the specific needs of the People’s School. This ensures that the learning process remains contextual and relevant to students from poor families, without compromising the quality of education.
This grand plan will begin to be implemented in 65 locations of the People’s School in July 2025, and will be expanded to 100 locations throughout Indonesia. Comprehensive preparations have been made, starting from infrastructure development, teacher recruitment, to socialization to the community.
The People’s School Program is part of the implementation of Presidential Instruction Number 8 of 2025 concerning Optimization of Poverty Alleviation. Through education, the government targets to break the chain of intergenerational poverty systematically and sustainably.
In line with this, the Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos), Saifullah Yusuf, said that the People’s School is a real form of state concern for the community that has not been fully served by the formal education system. The government is trying to ensure that every child has equal access to education.
More than just a school, Sekolah Rakyat is an education system with a boarding school pattern that is fully facilitated by the state. All student needs, from dormitories, uniforms, learning equipment, to daily needs will be fully covered.
Deputy Minister of Social Affairs, Agus Jabo, said the presence of the state must be felt directly by the community. This program is a symbol of the state’s commitment to ensuring free quality education for children from poor families.
Not only academic education, students will also receive national character training and vocational skills. This aims to prepare graduates of the People’s School to be ready to face the world of work or continue their education to a higher level.
In the context of national development, the People’s School program is a long-term social strategy. Inclusive and quality education is an important foundation in creating a strong and independent future generation.
Through a flexible curriculum designed with a humanistic and collaborative approach, the People’s School is expected to become an educational tool that helps children escape structural poverty.
The government is optimistic that Sekolah Rakyat will be an effective alternative education model in responding to social and educational challenges in Indonesia. With cross-sector support and an adapted curriculum approach, this program has the potential to produce a young generation that is not only intellectually intelligent, but also resilient in facing the realities of life.
In the future, it is hoped that People’s Schools will not only be a short-term solution for equalizing education, but will also be part of the transformation of the national education system to be more inclusive and adaptive.
)* The author is a Bandung student living in Jakarta
