Meeting with 7 Local Governments: Deputy Social Affairs Minister Agus Jabo Discusses DTSEN, PBI and People's Schools

Deputy Social Affairs Minister Agus Jabo Priyono received audiences from seven regional heads to discuss the acceleration of the People’s School programme, updating of the National Socio-Economic Unified Data (DTSEN), and Health Insurance Premium Assistance (PBI) membership, whilst affirming the role of social affairs offices as the frontline of data updating.

The audiences were attended by regional leaders from South Buton, North Buton, North Konawe, Konawe, Wakatobi, East Kolaka and Jayawijaya at the Ministry of Social Affairs offices.

Each local government presented the status and readiness of land for the People’s Schools, although some plots are still undergoing certification and preparation. Several regions also requested support to expedite the land administration process.

In response, Agus Jabo affirmed that the People’s School is a presidential priority programme aimed at breaking the transmission of poverty through education, making regional readiness a critical factor in accelerating construction.

“The People’s School is an instruction from President Prabowo to break the transmission of poverty through education. Therefore, regions with land that is ready and clear can naturally be processed more quickly,” said Agus Jabo in a written statement on Monday (23 February 2026).

Agus Jabo stressed that proposed land must have definitive status and be free of disputes.

“The land must belong to the local government, be free of disputes, and be technically ready so that no problems arise after construction,” he said.

Agus Jabo also reminded that regional readiness is not solely about land availability but also about completeness of documentation and local government commitment. He explained that People’s School land must be a minimum of 5–10 hectares, owned by the local government and evidenced by a certificate, accompanied by a letter of proposal from the regional head, land preparation funded through the regional budget (APBD), and must pass a technical survey by the Ministry of Public Works.

Beyond the People’s Schools, several regional heads also raised the issue of deactivated PBI Health Insurance beneficiaries in their areas. Agus Jabo affirmed that deactivated memberships can be re-proposed provided they meet the criteria.

“Reactivation can in principle be carried out as long as the data is indeed accurate. Regions can propose this through the social affairs office or the village level, and it will then be processed because we have been instructed by the President to honour the poor,” he said.

Agus Jabo emphasised that social data updating is a national mandate that must be driven from the regions, with social affairs offices as the spearhead.

“From now on, social affairs offices must be active. Data updating originates from the grassroots and must be known to the regional head. If the data is up to date, social assistance and health insurance will certainly be better targeted,” he stressed.

“Let us use our positions to defend the interests of the people,” he added.

Head of the Ministry of Social Affairs’ Data and Information Centre, Joko Widiarto, added that DTSEN updating is highly dependent on the activeness of local governments down to the village level.

“Deciles mean all families in Indonesia are divided into ten groups based on their welfare level. So if there are residents who have not yet been assigned a decile, it is usually because they have not yet been recorded. The solution is for regions to actively update their data,” he explained.

Joko also affirmed that the PBI membership reactivation process can now be carried out more quickly through an integrated system.

“Reactivation can now be done down to the village level. So the public does not have to travel far to the district office. The process takes one day or at most two days after submission if the data is already accurate,” he continued.

The audience was attended by, among others, South Buton Regent Muhammad Adios, North Buton Regent Afirudin Mathara, North Konawe Deputy Regent Abuhaera, Konawe DPRD Chairman I Made Asmaya, Wakatobi Regent Haliana, East Kolaka DPRD Member Made Margi, and Jayawijaya Regent Antenius Murib.

Accompanying Deputy Social Affairs Minister Agus Jabo Priyono were Director of Non-Disaster Social Protection Faisal, Head of Data and Information Centre Joko Widiarto, ministerial expert staff, and the People’s School Joint Secretariat.