Minister Gus Ipul Says Students Gain Confidence Through 'Sekolah Rakyat'

Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, or Gus Ipul, has stated that the Sekolah Rakyat (People’s Schools) programme is beginning to show results after one year of operation. According to him, students are now appearing more confident, optimistic, and courageous in reclaiming their aspirations. “Children who may have buried their dreams are now starting to be more confident, more optimistic, and brave enough to reach for their goals,” Gus Ipul said during an Open House at Sentra Paramita Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, on Friday, 10 July 2026. The event brought together prospective students with current Sekolah Rakyat pupils who have been studying for a year since the pilot programme began in July 2025.

This change, according to Gus Ipul, is evident in the students’ development during their education at Sekolah Rakyat. One example is Novatul Alratia, 14, a student at Sekolah Rakyat Menengah Pertama (SRMP) 18 West Lombok. Gus Ipul noted that Novatul was initially known as a shy and quiet child. However, after a year of studying at Sekolah Rakyat, she won first place in a national-level pencak silat competition. When asked about her ambitions, Novatul firmly answered that she wants to become a policewoman. She also admitted that her favourite subject is Indonesian Language. Novatul’s mother has also felt a significant change in her daughter. “Alhamdulillah, my child’s development is far better than before. Now she is more disciplined, more diligent in helping at home, and more confident,” she said. She explained that her family experienced economic hardship after their business was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, a condition that once caused Novatul to lose her self-confidence while still in primary school.

A similar transformation was experienced by Haikal Abdul Majid, 14, a student at SRMP 18 West Lombok who aspires to be a psychologist. Haikal, who lives with his aunt after his father suffered a mental disorder and his mother remarried, expressed his happiness attending Sekolah Rakyat. “I feel happy because I have many friends, the teachers are kind to me, and I can eat for free here,” Haikal said. Haikal’s aunt acknowledged seeing a major change in her nephew. “His development is extraordinary, especially his discipline and self-confidence. He used to rarely appear in front of many people, but now he is brave enough to perform and even leads prayers at school,” she said.

Gus Ipul also encouraged prospective students to dare to dream as high as possible. One of them, M. Faturrahman, a prospective student at SRMP 18 West Lombok from Gerung District, dreams of becoming a pilot. “Why do you want to be a pilot?” Gus Ipul asked. “So I can send my mother on Umrah,” Fatur replied, drawing applause from the participants. Fatur’s mother expressed gratitude for the presence of Sekolah Rakyat, as economic limitations had made it difficult for her family to provide a proper education for her son. “My hope is that he can become a successful child. I thank President Prabowo because through Sekolah Rakyat, our child can get a proper education and achieve his dreams,” she said.

Hearing the parents’ testimonies, Gus Ipul advised all students to always respect their parents and teachers, regardless of their family’s economic conditions. “Your parents might be scavengers, casual labourers, or construction workers, but they must still be respected. Hopefully, from Sekolah Rakyat, doctors, teachers, psychologists, police officers, pilots, and even a future President of the Republic of Indonesia will emerge,” he said. He reiterated that Sekolah Rakyat is a manifestation of President Prabowo Subianto’s concern for poor and extremely poor families, ensuring their children receive a proper, high-quality, residential education with 24-hour boarding. Sekolah Rakyat does not open public registration but directly reaches out to children from poor and extremely poor families based on the National Single Socio-Economic Data (DTSEN). This programme is intended for families in the 1st and 2nd deciles, the groups with the lowest socio-economic conditions. “The children who appeared on stage earlier are children reached through data held by the government,” Gus Ipul said. “Sekolah Rakyat does not open registration; instead, the state reaches out to families who may have been invisible in the development process until now.”