Indonesia's Sekolah Rakyat projects employ 97,000 workers

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Public Works Ministry has employed 97,000 workers in the second phase of the Sekolah Rakyat school construction program, which covers 100 locations across 32 provinces.

Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo said the construction of Sekolah Rakyat schools reflects the government’s commitment to improving human capital by providing decent, modern educational facilities.

“What we are building is not just school buildings. This is a long-term investment in preparing the nation’s next generation by providing access to decent, modern education. That is why infrastructure quality remains our top priority,” Hanggodo said in a statement on Monday.

The program is part of President Prabowo Subianto’s Asta Cita agenda to expand access to education for children from poor households. Under the second phase, the ministry is constructing Sekolah Rakyat facilities at 100 locations across 32 provinces, with a total capacity of 122,000 students.

The integrated school infrastructure projects have employed 97,000 local workers, most of whom were recruited directly from villages and subdistricts surrounding the construction sites.

Hanggodo said the employment generated by the projects was one of the direct benefits of infrastructure development, creating job opportunities and increasing household incomes in local communities.

During construction, the ministry also worked with the Indonesian Army’s (TNI AD) Development Territorial Battalions to accelerate work in certain areas, including disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions.

Beyond creating jobs, the construction of Sekolah Rakyat schools is also stimulating local economies through demand for locally sourced building materials, catering services for workers, and transportation services.

As a result, Hanggodo said, the benefits of development could be felt not only when the schools begin operating but also from the start of construction.

Sekolah Rakyat is a tuition-free education program for children from poor and extremely poor families, designed to expand their access to quality education.

The program forms part of broader efforts to promote 13 years of compulsory education nationwide while improving both access and quality.

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Translator: Aji, Kenzu
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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