Child street beggars in Bengkulu proposed to join People's School programme

The Bengkulu City Government in Bengkulu Province has proposed that child street dwellers, vagrants, and beggars (gepeng) be enrolled in the People’s School programme. This proposal aims to ensure that street children, who should still be receiving education, obtain long-term educational support from the government. “If they indeed need assistance, the government is ready to accommodate and guide them through existing programmes. The goal is for them to have a more decent life without returning to the streets,” said the Head of the Bengkulu City Social Services Office, Afriyenita, in Bengkulu on Saturday. To this end, the office is intensifying the socialisation of Local Regulation No. 7 of 2017 on handling street children, vagrants, and beggars (gepeng). The team is also conducting direct field operations to survey and follow up on the presence of gepeng at various points in Bengkulu City. Regarding the habit of giving money or direct aid, she stated that it could create dependency among gepeng, hindering the government’s efforts in coaching and empowerment to make them self-reliant. Afriyenita urged the public to channel social assistance through official institutions or government programmes to ensure it reaches the right targets. With ongoing intensified socialisation efforts, the office hopes that handling street children, vagrants, and beggars will be more effective, while creating order and comfort in public spaces.