Khofifah: PKH Mentors Visit Students' Families 10 Times to Get Them Back to School
Tuban, East Java (ANTARA) - East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa has stated that Family Hope Programme (PKH) mentors visited the families of prospective students up to 10 times to persuade them to allow their children to return to school at the Permanent Integrated People’s School (SRT) in Tuban Regency.
“There were PKH mentors who approached the family up to 10 times before they finally permitted their son or daughter to be sent to school here. So, there was a hunting process for students,” Khofifah said during a visit to the Tuban SRT on Wednesday.
She explained that many of the prospective students had been out of formal education for a long time, requiring the government to conduct direct outreach to their families. Khofifah noted that some children had dropped out as early as the second, third, or fourth grade of primary school before being recruited to continue their education through the SRT.
According to her, this approach is part of the government’s effort to uphold the ‘no one left behind’ principle of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring that no child is left without access to education. Khofifah also mentioned that the Tuban SRT accepts students from Pati and Bojonegoro regencies, creating a cross-regional interaction space for children from diverse backgrounds.
Beyond recruitment, she has requested that the school provide a psychologist at least once a month to support students’ social adaptation in the dormitory and to prevent bullying. “That’s why I told the headmaster earlier, at least once a month a psychologist should be present. When a psychologist comes, they can carry out an approach process with the children,” she said.
The Permanent SRT in Tuban was built through a synergy between the central government and the Tuban Regency administration, with the local government providing the land and the central government constructing the school building. Khofifah stated that the physical construction is scheduled for completion on 31 July 2026, with students entering the dormitory on 30 July 2026.
Meanwhile, one parent, Sarni (33), a resident of Tambakboyo, Tuban, admitted she never imagined her child could be accepted at a school with such complete facilities as the SRT. She said the free school programme greatly assists low-income families. “It really helps people at the bottom like my family,” she said. Sarni hopes her daughter, Risma, will enjoy studying at the SRT and achieve her dreams. “I hope all your dreams come true, that you become a pious child and are useful for the nation and the state,” she said.