Antara News·Indonesia·Wednesday, October 28, 2026 at 10:03 AM UTC

Sekolah Rakyat serves 44,000 children since 2025 launch: Minister

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M. Riezko, Tegar Nurfitra

The government has served around 44,000 underprivileged children through the tuition-free Sekolah Rakyat (People's School) program since its launch in 2025, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said.

Speaking in Makassar, South Sulawesi, on Wednesday, he noted that the government had begun construction of permanent Sekolah Rakyat facilities at 100 locations, with 93 sites already in operation.

Meanwhile, 82 Sekolah Rakyat schools have been operating in existing facilities designated as pilot schools, he added.

Yusuf made the statement after attending a national event marking the program's first anniversary.

He remarked that Sekolah Rakyat is one of President Prabowo Subianto's priority programs, designed to provide access to quality education for children from families in the lowest four socioeconomic deciles listed in the National Single Socioeconomic Data (DTSEN).

The minister further said that beneficiaries include homeless children, school-age buskers, child laborers, and school dropouts facing economic hardship.

He added that the program has also reached illiterate children aged 17 to 18 who have never received formal education, noting that they must first undergo equivalency education at ministry facilities before enrolling in Sekolah Rakyat.

Furthermore, Yusuf underscored Sekolah Rakyat as a tool for poverty alleviation through a holistic approach that integrates other national flagship schemes, including the Free Nutritious Meals program, the Free Health Screenings program, and the Red and White Village Cooperatives program.

"Intervention measures go beyond providing children with access to quality education. We also seek to empower their parents through social assistance, health insurance coverage, and home renovations to make their houses more livable," the minister added.

He also lauded the South Sulawesi provincial government for supporting Sekolah Rakyat by providing sites for school construction.

South Sulawesi currently has the highest number of Sekolah Rakyat facilities outside Java, with nine in operation and four more planned.

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