Banten's Free School Programme Eases Burden on Daily Labourers

A daily labourer named Sarbini (47) has expressed his gratitude that his son Nabil can continue his education thanks to the Banten Provincial Government’s Free School Programme. Before the programme existed, Sarbini was constantly haunted by the cost of schooling whenever a new academic year approached. As a casual labourer from Sindang Mandi Village, Baros District, Serang Regency, his income was never stable. “The most important thing is that my child can go to school,” Sarbini said in a written statement on Wednesday (15/7/2026). Sometimes he works as a construction worker, and at other times he gets calls to repair residents’ electrical installations. However, it is not uncommon for him to be unemployed for weeks or even months. That anxiety has now slowly disappeared after his son, Nabil Ilham Maulana (15), was accepted at SMK Nurul Huda Baros through the Banten Provincial Government’s Free School Programme for the 2026-2027 academic year. For Sarbini, the programme does not merely eliminate the obligation to pay tuition fees; it represents hope for his family to ensure their children’s education. Since the programme was implemented, tens of thousands of students have been able to continue their education to the upper secondary level. In the previous 2025-2026 academic year, the Free School Programme reached 801 private schools with a total of 60,705 verified students participating. “Before the Free School Programme, I felt burdened. I have three children. The eldest is in vocational school, the second in junior high, and the youngest in primary school. With this programme, thank God, I am relieved and greatly helped. Now I only have to think about stationery needs,” he said. He admitted that education costs were the burden he thought about most often, as his irregular income as a casual daily labourer made it difficult to plan. “My work is not available every day. Sometimes I work for a week, then I can be unemployed for up to three months. So the money that was previously used to pay tuition fees can now be saved for the children’s future educational needs,” he explained. His economic situation had caused him considerable worry when his son decided to continue his education at a private school. On one hand, he wanted to support his son’s aspirations, but on the other, he did not know how he would pay the fees. “Yes, I was worried. I kept thinking about how to pay. My work is odd jobs, sometimes a handyman, sometimes a welder. Anything as long as it’s lawful,” he said. Despite this, Sarbini never discouraged his son’s wishes. Nabil had long dreamed of studying at SMK Nurul Huda Baros, a decision he made even before the free school programme existed. “He wanted to go to school here from the start. I didn’t force him; I support my child’s choice,” he said. Nabil is now enrolled as a tenth-grade student in the Electrical Engineering Department at SMK Nurul Huda Baros. Sarbini hopes that education will be a path for his son to achieve a better life than his own. He constantly reminds Nabil to study diligently and avoid negative influences that could ruin his future. “I always tell him, earning money is hard. Study properly, don’t get involved in brawls or bad company. I experienced a misguided youth, and I don’t want my child to repeat it,” he said. Sarbini also expressed his thanks to Banten Governor Andra Soni and Deputy Governor Achmad Dimyati Natakusumah for the Free School Programme, which has significantly eased the burden on low-income communities. “I am very grateful to Mr Andra Soni and Mr Dimyati. Without this programme, I would still be anxious because my work as a casual daily labourer is unpredictable, sometimes there is work, but more often I am unemployed,” he said. He hopes the programme will continue so that more families in similar economic conditions can benefit. He even dreams that such assistance will one day reach the tertiary education level. “I hope this programme continues. I would be even more grateful if there was assistance up to the university level. I want my child to get the highest education possible, to be better than his parents,” he concluded.