KPK: Information on Rp 27 Billion Shoe Procurement for People's School Becomes Study Material
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has stated that information related to the budget for procuring shoes for students at the People’s School, amounting to Rp 27 billion, will serve as enrichment material for the study currently being conducted by the KPK team.
“KPK has also entered the prevention framework by conducting a study related to the People’s School programme, so this information (student shoes) will certainly enrich the team,” said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo at the Red and White Building, Jakarta, on Thursday (7/5/2026).
He said that if corruption loopholes are indeed found in the stages, the prevention framework being prepared is expected to mitigate such actions.
“Therefore, KPK is certainly open in the prevention framework to synergise and collaborate with any willing parties because when talking about prevention, KPK cannot do it alone; it requires synergy with other stakeholders,” he stated.
In his clarification, Social Affairs Minister (Mensos) Saifullah Yusuf conveyed that the Rp 27 billion budget is only an initial plan, not the actual figure.
He also revealed the procurement budget for shoes for students and teachers at the People’s School, which has no connection to a photo with East Java Governor Khofifah.
Regarding the controversy over the People’s School shoe budget, KPK Deputy Chairman Agus Joko Pramono also responded to the potential for corruption loopholes.
Gus Ipul said that the Rp 27 billion budget for the shoes is still in the form of an initial plan that has been set.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Social Affairs will only carry out the procurement process, with the amount being lower or cheaper than the initial planning budget.
“This procurement process will be tendered openly, and the result will certainly be cheaper than the planning,” said Gus Ipul when met at the People’s School project site in Kedung Cowek, Surabaya, on Monday (4/5/2026).
“If now it’s said to be Rp 700,000 (per pair of shoes), the result could be much lower than that. There will be a tender process later; I don’t fully understand the details of the tender process,” he added.
Therefore, Gus Ipul has warned his members at the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) not to play around with the budget so that the programme can run well.
“I have conveyed to those in charge that there should be no lobbying, no placements, no engineering, no things that hide in the procurement process,” he explained.