Minister deems Gresik's People's School outreach model effective

Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf has assessed the student candidate outreach model of the Integrated People’s School (SRT) I in Gresik Regency as effective in fulfilling the quota of pupils from poor and extremely poor families. “The fulfilment of the student quota in Gresik was carried out through direct outreach to poor families, so that all available seats could be filled,” said Minister Saifullah Yusuf during a visit to SRT I in Sidayu District, Gresik, East Java, on Monday. He explained that the recruitment of prospective People’s School students was conducted without the practice of entrusting favours or using brokers, but was instead based on the results of outreach carried out by the government to target families. In the 2026 academic year, SRT I Gresik has accommodated 405 students, consisting of 90 primary school pupils, 90 lower secondary school pupils, and 225 upper secondary school pupils, including 75 special upper secondary students and 60 students from Lamongan Regency. He also confirmed that during the school orientation period, students receive mentoring through the Taruna Bhakti Programme, which involves cadets from the Military Academy and the Police Academy. “Nationally, more than 1,000 cadets are involved in the programme, with five cadets placed at each People’s School location for five days,” he said. “The People’s School programme began operating in 2025 in 166 locations, and there are already around 15,000 students at the primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary levels,” he added. Meanwhile, Gresik Regent Fandi Akhmad Yani stated that the People’s School is part of a collaboration between the central and regional governments to expand access to free education for children from underprivileged families. According to him, the boarding school is expected to produce a generation that is excellent, of strong character, and ready to face the future.