Eight New Permanent 'Sekolah Rakyat' Sites Enter Physical Construction Phase

The construction of eight additional permanent People’s Schools will commence in the near future. This certainty was conveyed directly by the Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah Yusuf, also known as Gus Ipul, during an audience with representatives from eight local governments at the Ministry of Social Affairs office on Thursday (18/06/2026).

This follows the completion of the land provision process for People’s Schools by the regencies of Tanggamus, Tangerang, Toba, Kudus, Malaka, South Nias, North Kolaka, and Mimika.

“The land is provided by the regencies/cities or provinces. Construction is funded by the State Budget (APBN). School principals are proposed by the regional heads. This is a collaborative effort, from the initial stages to supervision,” said Gus Ipad in his statement on Thursday.

Previously, regents and vice-regents reported that land for the construction of permanent People’s School buildings had been prepared, with some having already undergone measurement and readiness verification stages.

Following his instructions, Gus Ipul emphasised that the People’s School is an affirmative programme for those living in extreme poverty, implemented through active outreach by local governments.

He also explained that 93 sites for permanent People’s Schools are nearing the completion of their physical construction, allowing them to accommodate more students from underprivileged families.

“This programme is specifically for the poorest. The President has entrusted us: there must be no corruption, bribery, or nepotism. It must truly be for them,” he said.

Furthermore, he explained that student admission is conducted through an outreach mechanism rather than open registration.

“There is no registration at the People’s School; instead, there is outreach. Students are identified and designated by the Regent or Mayor, and then we accept them. Therefore, from the beginning, this programme is collaborative,” he added.

The Regent of Tanggamus, Saleh Asnawi, stated that land in his region has been prepared as part of the requirements to enter the construction phase.

“We have prepared permanent land for the People’s School, and even for the Garuda School. In principle, the land for the People’s School is ready,” he said.

The Regent of Toba, Effendi SP Napitupulu, noted that while the land has been mapped, further processes are still adjusting to field conditions.

“We have prepared land for permanent People’s Schools and have measured its readiness. However, due to natural disasters in our region, the Ministry of Public Works is still delaying the subsequent process,” he said.

On the other hand, the Regent of Mimika, Johannes Rettob, emphasised that the prepared land meets technical criteria and is ready for follow-up.

“We have prepared approximately 8 hectares of flat land without any issues. Currently, we are waiting for the Public Works department to conduct an inspection,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Vice Regent of Kudus, Bellinda Putri Sabrina Birton, stated that land provision is carried out through cross-sector cooperation.

“For the permanent construction of the People’s School, we have collaborated with Perhutani and Brigif, covering an area of approximately 10 hectares,” she said.