The People’s School Program: A Social Commitment from the Government to Underprivileged Families
Jakarta – The Indonesian government has launched the People’s School (SR) program as a strategic step to provide access to quality education for children from underprivileged families. Starting in 2025, 100 permanent People’s Schools will be built across Indonesia, specifically to reach children from poor families.
Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah Yusuf, also known as Gus Ipul, stated, “We want integration between regional programs and ministries and institutions, referring to the National Socioeconomic Single Data (DTSEN),” Gus Ipul said.
This single data integration is expected to ensure that social assistance and other government programs are targeted. He explained that President Prabowo Subianto has issued Presidential Instruction Number 4 of 2025, which requires the use of a single data set by all relevant parties.
One key intervention is the Boarding Schools, designed for children at risk of dropping out of school. Gus Ipul emphasized, “The government guarantees all student costs, from school fees to boarding.” “This program will also implement a student talent mapping method to support a more effective mentoring process,” he explained.
The Ministry of Public Works will carry out the construction of the People’s School facilities, with the schools able to accommodate 1,000 students from elementary to high school levels. East Kalimantan, as a priority province, already has three pilot sites for People’s Schools, which will soon be permanently built.
Roni Parasian, Senior Analyst at the Directorate General of Economic and Fiscal Strategy at the Ministry of Finance, explained, “This program optimizes cross-ministerial budgets, so it doesn’t burden the state budget.” The initial phase of the program, the Pioneer People’s Schools, began in 2025/2026, utilizing existing state facilities,” Roni explained.
Robben Rico, Secretary General of the Ministry of Social Affairs, added, “Data shows that in East Java alone, more than 400,000 high school-aged children are out of school. People’s Schools are a concrete solution to address this problem, providing access to free, quality education for children from underprivileged families,” Robben said.
He also considered the boarding school concept within the People’s School to be an important, innovative step in protecting children from exploitation and violence. “Regular schools alone are not enough. These children need a safe and protected environment 24/7 to focus on learning,” Robben added.
With cross-institutional collaboration, the Boarding School program is expected to accelerate poverty alleviation and create a superior generation for Indonesia. The government is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty through affordable education, providing better opportunities for children from underprivileged families.
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