Government Targets 100,000 Students in People's Schools by 2027

The Ministry of Social Affairs states that the government is expanding the reach of the People’s Schools programme, with a target for the number of beneficiaries to increase significantly to exceed 100,000 students by 2027. Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said that this year the allocation of participants is targeted to exceed 30,000 students, and if all targets are realised, adding more than 15,000 students from the previous academic year, the total number of beneficiaries by the end of 2026 is projected to reach 46,000 students. “The government will continue to expand the reach of the People’s Schools programme. This year our target is to reach 30,000 students, and next year we will increase it to more than 100,000 students,” he said in a statement received in Jakarta on Saturday. This long-term programme is implemented to provide educational opportunities for children from poor and extremely poor families recorded in deciles 1 and 2 of the National Social and Economic Single Data (DTSEN). “They are prepared to become agents of change for themselves, their families, and for Indonesia. Through this programme, children get a path to change through integrated education,” he stated during a visit to People’s High School (SRMA) 26 in the BBPPKS Makassar environment. To support the surge in the number of students, the government is preparing the construction of permanent buildings at more than 100 locations this year. The long-term target is for every district and city in Indonesia to have at least one permanent People’s School with a capacity of 1,000 students for primary to high school levels. “Preparations starting in February, we will process the selection of new students, yes, for primary, junior high, and high school,” he added. Saifullah added that the students not only receive access to formal education based on a learning management system (LMS), but also intensive character building through a boarding system. “The results are already starting to show, they are more confident, they already have interests and determination in certain fields, and more importantly, the children already have awareness to utilise the opportunities available so that they truly become students who are knowledgeable, characterful, and intelligent,” he emphasised.