By: Doni Laksana)*
Education is the main foundation in national development. In facing today’s challenges, the presence of the People’s School is a solution that is able to reach underprivileged communities in terms of education. People’s School is a form of education that focuses on community empowerment through a contextual, participatory, and popular learning process. In recent years, support from local governments for the existence and development of People’s Schools has grown stronger, showing a real commitment to equalizing education in Indonesia.
Local governments have a strategic role in determining the direction of education policy in their regions. By understanding local social and geographical conditions, local governments can develop more targeted programs. Support for People’s Schools is one concrete form of a local needs-based approach. In various regions, the government has begun to collaborate with communities, non-governmental organizations, and education figures to develop people’s schools as a complement to the national education system. This not only expands access to learning, but also strengthens local wisdom values that have often been neglected in the formal curriculum.
Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah Yusuf or Gus Ipul said that as many as 280 local governments visited the People’s School Desk. There have been 200 points proposed as locations for people’s schools. A number of these points are proposals from regional heads. In addition, if approved by President Prabowo Subianto, 38 people’s schools will be built on the proposed points. So far, there have been 45 buildings ready to complete the people’s schools. He targets 70 people’s schools to be built this year.
The form of local government support for the People’s School is very diverse, ranging from providing learning facilities, operational assistance, training volunteer teachers, to integrating the People’s School program into the regional medium-term development plan (RPJMD). In some areas, the government provides public spaces such as village halls or reading houses as alternative learning places. This shows that the government is starting to see education as a collective responsibility, not merely the business of ministries or formal institutions.
In addition to infrastructure support, another important aspect that has not escaped attention is the development of human resource capacity. The local government has begun to provide training and mentoring for managers and teachers of the People’s Schools. They are not only taught creative and contextual learning methods, but are also equipped with an understanding of children’s rights, the principle of inclusivity, and adaptive teaching techniques. Thus, the quality of learning in the People’s Schools can continue to improve and have a positive impact on students.
Local government support is also seen from the legalization and recognition efforts for the existence of People’s Schools. Many regions have issued decrees or local regulations that provide a legal umbrella for the operation of People’s Schools. This provides a sense of security for managers and encourages the involvement of more parties in supporting the program. In addition, with official recognition, children who graduate from People’s Schools can more easily continue to the next level of education or obtain equivalent certification.
Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian said that the Regional Government was asked to pay attention to the establishment of People’s Schools to support inclusive education, especially for underprivileged communities. In accordance with the direction of President Prabowo Subianto, the Ministry of Home Affairs together with related ministries/institutions (K/L) were asked to support the steps to establish People’s Schools. Unlike the Garuda Excellence School which recruits outstanding students to continue to the world’s best universities, People’s Schools are intended to open access to education for all levels of society, especially from poor and extremely poor families.
The Minister of Home Affairs asked regional heads to hold a special meeting regarding the People’s School. The Regional Secretary (Sekda) and the Head of the Education Office were also asked to immediately respond to the opportunities from this program. In addition, the Regional Government needs to understand the mindset of the central government in approving the application for the establishment of People’s Schools in the regions, especially regarding the clarity of land legality.
No less important, local government support for the People’s School also carries a strong moral message, that education is the right of all citizens, without exception. Amidst various limitations, local governments actually strengthen the values of social solidarity and mutual cooperation through the development of People’s Schools. This is an inspiration that collaboration between government, society, and individuals can give birth to major changes for the future of the nation.
The local government’s support for the People’s School is a real form of support for equalizing education. It is not just about building schools or providing assistance, but about nurturing hope and opening the way for every child to dream. Behind the simplicity of a classroom without walls and a simple blackboard, there is a great spirit to educate the nation fairly and evenly. The People’s School, with the full support of the local government, has been and will continue to be a bright spot amidst the educational challenges that we still have to face together.
)* The author is a public policy observer
