Minister Gus Ipul: Sekolah Rakyat Programme Requires Collaboration

Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, or Gus Ipul, has emphasised that the Sekolah Rakyat (People’s Schools) programme is a shared responsibility of all work units within the Ministry of Social Affairs, requiring collaboration and contribution according to each unit’s duties and functions to ensure the programme runs optimally. This was conveyed by Gus Ipul while chairing an internal meeting attended by all ministry officials at the Ministry of Social Affairs office in Jakarta on Tuesday. “When we discuss Sekolah Rakyat, it is fundamentally the business of all work units. Because there are children there who need rehabilitation, as they have certain problems, and because Sekolah Rakyat also requires empowerment, which is part of the social protection and security framework,” said Gus Ipul. He further stressed the importance of building awareness among all units not to work in silos, but to work together to follow up on the directives of President Prabowo Subianto. Gus Ipul explained that Sekolah Rakyat is part of poverty alleviation efforts, based on the National Single Socio-Economic Data (DTSEN). After children receive free boarding education, their parents or families will simultaneously receive integrated interventions. “Their parents are given social protection and security, their parents receive PBI, their parents are rehabilitated, their parents are encouraged to become more empowered, so that the child and their family become a single unit to be intervened together for their graduation,” he stated. On this occasion, Gus Ipul also requested that all ranks carry out proper planning, especially in the student recruitment process, given that Sekolah Rakyat has received additional targets. “Sekolah Rakyat has an additional target from the President. Currently, there are 100 buildings, and another 100 to 150 are in process. So next year, there will be around 250 permanent Sekolah Rakyat buildings that can accommodate at least 140,000 students,” said Gus Ipul. Besides the recruitment process, the procurement of goods is equally important. Gus Ipul reminded that every procurement must be carried out with precise planning, at the right price, and in accordance with field realities. “So now, we really cannot mess around, we cannot manipulate things. That era is over. I truly emphasise this to the entire procurement team at the Ministry of Social Affairs,” he asserted. In addition to discussing Sekolah Rakyat, Gus Ipul also conveyed several important points to provide direction in preparing for 2027, such as the digitalisation of social assistance, updating the DTSEN, and the graduation process for Beneficiary Families.