Minister Inspects Surabaya People's School, Hails Improved Learning Progress

Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, known as Gus Ipul, attended an Open House for the People’s School (Sekolah Rakyat) for parents and prospective students at the People’s Senior High School (SRMA) 21 Surabaya, East Java, today. The open house was held to give prospective students, their parents, community leaders, and local government officials the opportunity to see first-hand the learning progress of People’s School students. Gus Ipul noted that approximately 11 months of the 2025/2026 academic year have passed. Despite various challenges and dynamics, the students have shown significant development. “Alhamdulillah, after more than 10 months, the learning process is getting better. The children have also started to become more disciplined, more confident, their enthusiasm for learning has increased, their growth is good, and their health is also improving,” Gus Ipul said in a written statement on Friday. Gus Ipul arrived at the location around 2.30 p.m. WIB and was welcomed by performances from SRMA 21 Surabaya students, including marching variations, hadrah, traditional dance, pencak silat, English and Arabic speeches, a choir, and poetry. The students competed to deliver their best performances with confidence and deep expression. In addition to watching the student performances, Gus Ipul also had the opportunity to engage in dialogue with parents, students, and prospective students. One of them was Ita Fitriani, the mother of SRMA 21 Surabaya student Marsya Dwi Cahyani. Ita could not hide her pride in her child when speaking with Gus Ipul. “Now she is brave enough to perform, she is good. She used to be very shy and withdrawn,” Ita said. Marsya was one of the students who performed the marching variation. She comes from a modest family living in Semampir District, Surabaya. Her father, Siswandi, works as a construction labourer with an uncertain and meagre income, and Marsya was even forced to drop out of school. But now she can continue her education and pursue her dreams through the People’s School. “I am very grateful that my child can attend the People’s School. She had dropped out for over a year. She wants to become a doctor too,” Ita said. Echoing her mother, Marsya also shared that after nearly two semesters of education at the People’s School, she has changed into a better, more independent, and disciplined person. “I am more disciplined, disciplined in prayer, and I can manage my time as well,” Marsya said. The changes experienced by Marsya and other students are inseparable from the patience and commitment of the headmaster, teachers, and educational staff in educating the People’s School students.