Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Pushes for Accelerated Development of 'Sekolah Rakyat' in Pekalongan
The Deputy Minister of Social Affairs, Agus Jabo Priyono, has emphasised that ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ serves as a golden bridge for children from impoverished families to achieve their ambitions and break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Consequently, he is pushing for the development of ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ in Pekalongan.
Through boarding school education, children will have the opportunity to develop their potential and build a future without being hindered by their family’s economic conditions. This programme is prioritised for children from impoverished families falling within deciles 1 and 2, based on the National Socio-Economic Single Data (DTSEN).
“Children from poor families who previously had dim prospects can now pursue paths to become doctors, soldiers, or police officers through ‘Sekolah Rakyat’. This school truly serves as a golden bridge for them to build new hope,” said Agus Jamin during an audience with the Acting Regent of Pekalongan, Sukirman, at the Ministry of Social Affairs office on Tuesday (29/09/2026).
Agus Jabo explained that the selection of prospective students involves direct home verifications to ensure that the data matches the family’s actual condition based on the DTSEN. The results of these verifications are then discussed at the regency level before the list of prospective students is finalised by the Regent and submitted to the Minister of Social Affairs.
“The future target is a maximum of 2,500 students (covering primary, junior high, and senior high school). Currently, the capacity is between 1,000 and 1,500,” stated Agus Jabo.
In addition to formal learning, ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ provides character education and adequate facilities for students from underprivileged families.
“If ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ is established in Pekalongan, I believe it would be an extraordinary achievement. Even though it is for the poor, the facilities should be provided to the highest standard,” explained Agus Jabo.
He noted that poverty alleviation must be carried out comprehensively, not only through child education but also by improving living conditions and strengthening family economies.
“The concept is: we educate the children, we repair the parents’ houses, and we assist with their economy. Thus, poverty alleviation is conducted comprehensively,” said Agus Jabo.
President Prabowo Subianto has targeted the construction of permanent ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ schools in various regions to expand educational access for children from poor families. Agus Jabo mentioned that the construction of permanent schools is being accelerated so that more regions can join the programme.
“We are striving to ensure the construction of 200 permanent ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ schools within this year. Currently, there are only 158. If Pekalongan can catch up, hopefully, it can be included this year,” said Agus Jabo.
Responding to this, the Acting Regent of Pekalongan, Sukirman, expressed the local government’s readiness to provide 8.1 hectares of land under ‘right to use’ status for the development of ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ in East Kedungwuni, Kedungwuni District.
“The ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ in Kedungwuni is in a strategic district, being the second largest after Kajen, with a significant economic growth centre and very high resident mobility,” said Sukirman.
The Pekalongan Regency Government also stated its readiness to fulfil all necessary administrative requirements. The local government hopes that the development of ‘Sekolah $ ext{Rakyat}$’ in Pekalongan can be realised by 2027.
According to 2026 BPS data, the poverty rate in Pekalongan Regency in 2025 reached 8.05 per cent, with extreme poverty affecting 1,030 individuals. The Human Development Index (HDI) was recorded at 72.71, which remains below the achievements of Central Java (74.77) and the national average (75.90). This HDI value is partly influenced by the education levels of school-aged children.
According to data from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s Data Centre, educational challenges are also evident in the number of Out-of-School Children (ATS), which reached 14,558 as of 6 September 2026, while the average years of schooling in 2025 was only 7.50 years. These conditions reinforce the importance of expanding educational access through the ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ programme.