Bengkulu's 'Sekolah Rakyat' Ready to Operate for 2026 Academic Year
Bengkulu - The construction of the People’s School in Sukarami, Bengkulu City, has reached 96.91 per cent and is targeted to be ready for use during the School Environment Introduction Period (MPLS) on 14 August 2026.
“Education is a top priority for the nation. This is a very valuable programme, born in the era of President Prabowo,” said the Governor of Bengkulu, Helmi Hasan, in Bengkulu on Wednesday.
Governor Helmi Hasan stated that education is a primary priority, which is why the Bengkulu Provincial Government has supported the People’s School programme initiated by the Central Government from the outset.
According to Helmi, the Central Government has allocated a budget of approximately Rp500 billion for the construction of these two people’s schools as an effort to expand educational access for children who have previously faced barriers to schooling.
He expressed hope that the teaching and learning process would proceed smoothly, allowing students the opportunity to develop into high-quality human resources.
Helmi stated that the People’s School is a manifestation of the government’s attention to the fact that some children still lack access to education.
“The important thing is that the teaching and learning process can be implemented well, so that our students can become the best children of the Red and White (Indonesia),” said Helim.
The Governor emphasised that the people’s school exists because the government is listening to community grievances regarding the difficulty of accessing education and the ongoing issue of school dropouts.
“The President does not want there to be any more students in Bengkulu who are not in school,” he added.
Consequently, he has requested the Social Affairs Office, the Education and Culture Office, and relevant regional agencies to conduct data collection and outreach for children who are not yet in school, utilising population data held by the Department of Population and Civil Registration.
He ensured that the Bengkulu Provincial Government, alongside other local governments, is ready to assist with all remaining needs to support the operation of the people’s school.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Dharma Guna Centre in Bengkulu, Hari Setiadi, stated that each People’s School will receive 270 new students annually in accordance with Ministry of Social Affairs regulations, covering primary (SD), junior high (SMP), and senior high (SMA) levels.
For the 2026/2027 academic year, the Bengkulu People’s School will accommodate 46 primary students, 90 junior high students, and 226 senior high students, supported by 14 teachers and 41 educational staff members.
Looking ahead, the People’s School complex is designed to have a capacity of up to 1,080 students divided into 36 study groups. Specifically, the primary level will consist of 18 study groups with a capacity of 540 students, while the junior high and senior high levels will each have 9 study groups with a capacity of 270 students.