Finance Minister Visits Waskita Karya's 'Sekolah Rakyat', Calls It Human Capital Investment for Golden Indonesia

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has affirmed that the ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ (People’s Schools) programme is a vital asset in supporting the realisation of Golden Indonesia 2045. He made the statement while inspecting the Integrated People’s School (SRT) 2 in Surabaya, East Java, which was built by PT Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk. The school has already commenced operations and is being attended by hundreds of primary, junior high, and senior high school students during their school orientation period. “Sekolah Rakyat is one of the assets to support Golden Indonesia,” Purbaya said in a statement on Monday (3/8/2026). The visit was part of the government’s efforts to ensure President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programmes are on track, while also affirming the State Budget’s support for human capital development. Besides inspecting the school facilities, Purbaya also engaged in dialogue with the students. He expressed hope that the learning opportunities provided would equip the students for a better future and enhance social mobility. Earlier, Head of the Government Communication Body Muhammad Qodari also visited SRT 2 Surabaya. He reviewed various facilities including the teachers’ room, student dormitories, laboratories, sports fields, a mosque, and other supporting amenities. According to Qodari, the school, which stands on 6.6 hectares of land, has facilities that are on par with private schools. “The facilities are extraordinary. Usually, we see very good and very expensive private schools with facilities like this, but here it is specifically aimed at the underprivileged,” Qodari said. Waskita Karya’s Director of Operations II, Paulus Budi Kartiko, stated that the construction of the People’s Schools represents the company’s support for providing educational infrastructure. “We deployed nearly 4,500 workers to complete the people’s school projects in East Java, including SRT 2 Surabaya. They worked day and night in shifts to ensure the buildings could be used for teaching and learning activities by August,” Paulus said. He explained that Waskita Karya implemented several construction acceleration methods, including the use of half slabs for the second-floor plates, material distribution using a hiab crane, concrete pouring with a concrete pump and mobile crane, and expedited electricity connection. According to Paulus, the People’s School is designed as an integrated educational area that not only serves as a place of learning but also supports the formation of a superior generation. “In line with the government’s directive, the People’s School is not just a place to learn, but also an integrated educational environment. Therefore, we designed the educational facilities in East Java to serve as a model for an integrated area capable of producing a superior generation as the nation’s future successors,” he said. Paulus added that Waskita Karya is building People’s Schools in five areas in East Java, namely Gresik, Jombang, Sampang, and Tuban regencies, as well as Surabaya city, with a total contract value reaching Rp1.16 trillion.