Indonesia's Sekolah Rakyat to expand to 45,000 students in 2026
Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said on Thursday that the projected enrollment reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring inclusive access to quality education for children who are out of school, have dropped out, or are at risk of dropping out due to economic hardship.
“Last year, the total number of Sekolah Rakyat students exceeded 15,000. We have decided to increase this year’s admission quota by 30,000,” he said in Bandung District, West Java.
The minister said the increase will bring total enrollment to about 45,000 students across the elementary, junior high, and senior high school levels.
He added that the national priority program has been operating since July 2025 at 166 locations nationwide, with most schools using government-owned facilities as temporary campuses.
The program primarily targets children from families classified as poor or extremely poor in the National Single Socioeconomic Data (DTSEN), with the goal of reducing poverty through education and improving the quality of human resources.
Yusuf also noted that the government has begun constructing permanent Sekolah Rakyat campuses at more than 100 locations across the country, with each campus expected to accommodate between 2,000 and 2,500 students.
He highlighted President Prabowo Subianto’s target of expanding the program to reach around one million children nationwide by the end of his term in 2029.
The minister said the program adopts a boarding school model, providing students with around-the-clock education in safe and supportive learning and living environments.
He also emphasized that the ministry remains open to collaborating with other ministries, government agencies, and regional administrations to accelerate the development of Sekolah Rakyat facilities across Indonesia.
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Translator: I. Nugraha, Tegar Nurfitra