Harkitnas 2026: Kemensos Highlights Sekolah Rakyat Accountability
Approximately at 7:30 am WIB, the ceremony began with the presiding officer entering the parade ground, the raising of the Red and White flag, a moment of silence, the recitation of Pancasila and the opening of the 1945 Constitution, and the delivery of the address.
As the presiding officer, Abdul Muis, Senior Expert Staff to the Minister of Social Affairs for Social Accessibility, delivered that National Awakening Day 2026 carries the theme ‘Guard the Nation’s Youth for the Sovereignty of the State’, which emphasises the importance of building the younger generation as the foundation of national self-reliance.
To realise this vision, the government under President Prabowo Subianto is implementing various strategic programmes, one of which is Sekolah Rakyat.
“This step is reinforced by equalising access to education through the construction of Sekolah Rakyat and Sekolah Garuda in affirmative regions, including improving teacher quality and providing scholarships, in order to cut the gap in human resources quality,” Abdul Muis said in a statement, on Wednesday (20 May 2026).
He said this while reading the message of the National Awakening Day 118th Commemoration from the Minister of Communications and Digital, Meutya Viada Hafid.
On this occasion, Abdul Muis also delivered the message and directives from the Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah Yusuf (Gus Ipul), to the staff, that Kemensos must uphold the mandate in administering Sekolah Rakyat.
“With such a programme and mandate, the management of Sekolah Rakyat must be conducted in an accountable, integrated manner, and safeguarded from acts of corruption that would blur the noble aims of the Sekolah Rakyat programme,” he said.
Sekolah Rakyat has been operating for almost two semesters at 166 points nationwide. It is currently preparing the new academic year and conducting recruitment of prospective students through outreach to children most in need.
The outreach process has reached 12,676 children, consisting of 4,328 prospective primary school students (SD), 4,604 prospective middle school students (SMP), and 2,935 prospective high school students (SMA). The recruitment process continues up to the start of the new academic year, with a target of 32,640 new students to be admitted this year.
For information, the Harkitnas 2026 ceremony was attended by all staff within Kemensos. Also in attendance were Senior and Intermediate High Officials within Kemensos. (akn/ega)