Acting Regent Opens Integrated People's School 1 in Bekasi

The Bekasi Regency Government has officially commenced the operations of Integrated People’s School 1 as a strategic step to break the cycle of school dropouts caused by economic constraints. The Acting Regent of Bekasi, Asep Surya Atmaja, emphasised that the presence of this institution aims to provide the widest possible educational opportunities for children in the Bekasi region without exception.

These hopes were expressed by Asep during the opening of the School Environment Introduction Period (MPLS) for Integrated People’s School 1 of Bekasi Regency, held at the People’s School Hall, Bekasi Regency Government Complex, Cikarang Pusat, on Monday (31/8). The event was also attended by member of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) Commission VIII Wardatul Asriah, members of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), the Regional Secretary, and representatives from the Ministry of Social Affairs.

In his speech, Asep Surya Atmaja emphasised that a family’s economic limitations must not become a barrier for children to achieve their future. He views education as the primary instrument for transforming the fate of families and regions.

“Education is the right of every child of the nation. No child should lose the opportunity to learn and achieve their future simply because of economic conditions or the limitations they face,” Aund Asep asserted.

He added that the People’s School is not merely a physical building for teaching and learning activities, but a vessel for building hope. This programme is a tangible manifestation of the state’s presence through the collaboration of central and local governments to expand educational access for the most needy communities.

Integrated People’s School 1 of Bekasi Regency adopts a boarding school concept. This model was chosen so that students receive not only cognitive input in the classroom but also character building and intensive guidance, which is expected to enable them to become agents of change for their families in the future.

The Head of the Bekasi Regency Social Affairs Office, Alamsyah, explained that this programme is one of the strategic programmes of the central government that is now being implemented in Bekasi Regency. The main focus is to reach children who have never attended school or those who were forced to drop out midway.

To ensure that this educational assistance is accurately targeted, the student admission process is conducted through a multi-layered verification mechanism. Initial data sourced from the Ministry of Social Affairs is then validated in the field by the Social Affairs Office along with district, village, and even neighbourhood (RT/RW) level governments.

The involvement of social pillars, such as PKH, Regsos, and IPSM assistants, is key to ensuring that the students admitted truly come from families in need. Alamsyah mentioned that the current shortage in quotas will soon be addressed through the next stage of the verification process.

Notably, the construction of this facility was completed quite rapidly. Alamsyah revealed that approximately eight months before the inauguration, the school site was still paddy fields. This demonstrates the strong commitment of various parties, including the Ministry of Public Works and the House of Representatives (DPR RI), in supporting educational infrastructure in Bekasi.