Deputy Social Minister Agus Jabo Inspects Potential Site for People's School at PTDI-STTD Bekasi
Deputy Social Minister Agus Jabo Priyono inspected the proposed site for hosting the People’s School at the Indonesian Land Transportation Polytechnic - Land Transportation Higher School (PTDI-STTD) in Bekasi Regency, West Java. This location is proposed as a point for expanding the pilot People’s School in the Jabodetabek region in line with the President’s directives.
During the inspection, Agus Jabo checked the condition of the four-storey dormitory with a capacity of around 400 people, which has been physically completed. In addition, there is a new four-storey building that can be utilised as classrooms, dining areas, and other supporting facilities.
“The facilities at PTDI-STTD are very adequate. Physically, they are ready; we just need to ensure the administration and technical details such as water, electricity, and space arrangements,” said Agus Jabo in a written statement on Tuesday (7 April 2026).
He emphasised that three main facilities must be ensured before the opening of the additional People’s School in April 2026.
“What must be ready immediately are the classrooms, dormitories, and kitchen or dining area. Those are the three most urgent components,” he said.
Agus Jabo explained that the People’s School is a national programme aimed at breaking the chain of extreme poverty, as stipulated in Presidential Instruction Number 8 of 2025. He also recounted findings from the field that reinforce the urgency of the programme.
“We are promoting the People’s School as an intervention to break the transmission of poverty. More than 64 per cent of children from poor families are at risk of remaining poor without state intervention,” he clarified.
“We found children who do not want to go home because there is no food at home. There are parents who even prostrate, begging for their children to be admitted to the People’s School. This means the programme is very much needed,” he added.
Nationally, the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) has operated 166 pilot People’s School sites in 34 provinces in 2025. In addition, 104 permanent People’s Schools are being built by the Ministry of Public Works, and 100 additional locations are being prepared in 2026.
“The current number of students is around 15,000 and will increase to 30,000 this year. The President has requested acceleration so that no more children end up on the streets or drop out of school due to poverty,” said Agus Jabo.
Before concluding the visit, Agus Jabo expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Transportation for its support through PTDI-STTD. He also hopes that the capacity of People’s School students can increase in the future.
“We thank the Ministry of Transportation. This synergy is very important for accelerating the People’s School. For this time, we are grateful to be able to utilise the Ministry of Transportation’s educational facilities,” he said.
“If these facilities are utilised, we can add hundreds more students. Hopefully, by July 2026, the capacity can reach more than 1,000 students at pilot sites in Jabodetabek,” he continued.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Transportation Human Resources Development Agency (BPSDMP) Suharto assured his agency’s readiness to support the People’s School programme. He stated that the Ministry of Transportation has 22 vocational schools with similar facilities that can be utilised to support the programme.
“We are ready to fully support the utilisation of existing facilities for the People’s School, including dormitories, classrooms, and cadet facilities,” said Suharto.
“We are ready to contribute to the success of the People’s School in accordance with the President’s directives,” he concluded.
For information, the activity carried out on Monday (6 April) was also attended by Acting Secretary of BPSDMP Ali Fikri, Head of the Centre for Land Transportation Human Resources Development Bambang Siswoyo, Director of PTDI-STTD Avi Mukti Amin, and other structural officials of PTDI-STTD.