Legislator Suggests Not All Primary 'Sekolah Rakyat' Should Be Boarding Schools

A member of the House of Representatives (DPR) has called on the government to evaluate the low public interest in the ‘Sekolah Rakyat’ (People’s School) programme at the primary school level, which implements a boarding school system. Derta Rohidin, a member of Commission VIII from the Golkar Party faction, stated that the low number of registrants for primary level should be a matter for evaluation to ensure the programme’s implementation truly meets the needs of the community. “The lack of interest in Sekolah Rakyat at the primary level should not be viewed solely as a problem of insufficient socialisation. The government needs to examine this issue more deeply. There are psychological, social, and cultural aspects that greatly influence parents’ decisions,” Derta said in a statement on Thursday (16/7/2026). Derta assessed that primary school-aged children are in a developmental phase that requires emotional closeness with their parents. He argued that the family remains the primary environment for shaping a child’s character, sense of security, self-confidence, and moral and spiritual development. “Parental affection cannot be fully replaced by a care system in a boarding school, no matter how good the facilities provided. Many parents are not ready to be separated from their children at such a young age. That concern is natural and must be respected,” he said. He noted that while the boarding school concept has benefits in certain conditions, its implementation cannot be uniformly applied to all students without considering the characteristics and needs of the child. Therefore, Derta requested the government to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Sekolah Rakyat programme design, especially at the primary level. He said the evaluation should cover the psychological aspects of children, family readiness, the effectiveness of care patterns, and the level of community acceptance. Furthermore, Derta proposed that the government provide flexibility in the Sekolah Rakyat implementation model. He argued that not all schools need to implement a boarding system. In areas where it is feasible, regular or semi-boarding school concepts could serve as more suitable alternatives to meet community needs. Meanwhile, the boarding system should be prioritised for children with special conditions, such as orphans, abandoned children, those from extremely poor families, victims of disasters, or those living in areas with limited access to education. “The Sekolah Rakyat programme is a good effort to expand access to education for children from underprivileged families. However, good intentions must be realised through appropriate policy design. Education is not just about classrooms and facilities, but also about love, attention, and the presence of family in a child’s life,” Derta said. Previously, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf acknowledged that the number of registrants for Sekolah Rakyat at the primary level was still below target. Out of a quota of approximately 9,000 students, only around 5,000 places have been filled so far. Meanwhile, the quotas for the junior and senior high school levels have been relatively met.