Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Pushes Forward Community School Development in Central Mamuju and Bengkalis
Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo Priyono held an audience with local government representatives from Central Mamuju District and Bengkalis District at the Ministry of Social Affairs headquarters in Jakarta on Monday, 9 March 2026.
The meeting discussed various social welfare programme proposals, including plans to develop Community Schools in both districts.
During the meeting, Agus Jabo explained that Community School development would be carried out in stages. In the initial phase, the government would establish pilot schools by utilising existing facilities before gradually developing them into permanent schools.
“These Community Schools are intended for children from poor families, particularly those in the first and second income deciles,” said Agus Jabo.
He added that local governments wishing to propose Community School development must provide a minimum of 6.8 hectares of land. The land must have clear title and be free of disputes, with relatively flat topography and a maximum slope of approximately 10 degrees to enable swift construction processing.
“If the land is clear and clean, ready to build, without requiring significant land preparation, then construction can be processed immediately,” he said.
According to Agus Jabo, Community Schools are designed as residential schools with various supporting facilities for students. These facilities include classrooms, dormitories, dining halls, kitchens, laboratories, libraries, sports facilities, and places of worship.
“Children will also receive uniforms, learning materials including laptops, and meals during their education at Community Schools,” he explained.
Beyond discussing Community School development, the Central Mamuju District Government also put forward several other social welfare programme proposals, including the empowerment of Remote Indigenous Communities, the construction of Integrated Prosperous Homes, and support for adequate housing for poor communities.
Agus Jabo emphasised that each programme proposal from local governments must be adjusted to match the objective conditions on the ground. Currently, all Ministry of Social Affairs programmes are guided by the National Single Social and Economic Data (DTSEN) as the basis for determining benefit recipients.
The audience also discussed efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness in Central Mamuju District, known as a disaster-prone area. According to Agus Jabo, community disaster preparedness can be strengthened through the establishment of Disaster Alert Villages equipped with social storage facilities for stockpiling disaster logistics.
The meeting was attended by Central Mamuju District Head Arsal Aras and several local officials, as well as representatives from Bengkalis District Government who expressed support for various social welfare strengthening programmes in their respective areas.