Law Minister to Build 'Sekolah Rakyat' Without Using State Budget

Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas plans to initiate the construction of a Sekolah Rakyat (People’s School) without using the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN) as a form of support for President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programme. “God willing, in the near future I will try to initiate building a Sekolah Rakyat without using APBN funds, but once it is completed I will hand it over to the Ministry of Social Affairs to be operationalised,” said Supratman at the Ministry of Law office in Jakarta on Thursday. He made the statement during the handover of 6.3 hectares of land owned by the Ministry of Law to the Ministry of Social Affairs for the construction of a Sekolah Rakyat. According to him, education for children from poor and vulnerable families is a constitutional mandate that must be realised concretely by the state and all elements of society. “Why do we do this? Once again, because it is a calling of the heart, a calling of the soul,” he said. He considers the presence of Sekolah Rakyat as a tangible manifestation of the state’s role in guaranteeing the right to education for all the nation’s children, especially those from vulnerable groups. Supratman also invited all ranks of the Ministry of Law to participate in supporting the success of the programme as a real contribution to the nation. “I invite the entire extended family of the Ministry of Law to participate in helping, not only the President but this republic,” he said.