Minister of Social Affairs Urges Sigi and Central Lombok Regents to Accelerate People's School Development
Indonesia’s Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf, known as Gus Ipul, received an audience with the Regent of Sigi, Mohamad Rizal Intjenae, and the Regent of Central Lombok, Lalu Pathul Bahri. The meeting addressed the readiness for construction of permanent People’s Schools (Sekolah Rakyat Permanen) in both districts.
During the audience, Rizal briefed on the progress of permanent People’s School construction being processed from a pilot school, namely SRMP 22 Sigi. Meanwhile, Pathul Bahri conveyed readiness to immediately enter the permanent construction phase, although the district had not previously operated a pilot school.
Gus Ipul emphasised that the People’s School is not designed as an ordinary school. According to him, the strategic value of this programme lies in the effort to uplift entire beneficiary families, not merely to educate children.
“This is not an ordinary school. The children attend school, their parents are empowered, their parents are encouraged to join Red and White Cooperative Villages, their parents’ homes are built to meet liveable standards. That is comprehensive social assistance,” Gus Ipul stated in his remarks on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.
He added that the People’s School target is not merely to graduate students, but to ensure their families also exit poverty.
“We cannot merely care for the children. This is what differentiates the People’s School. The family must also progress. So when they graduate, they must no longer be poor,” said Gus Ipul.
According to Gus Ipul, the People’s School is designed with measurable targets. Each year, there must be beneficiary families that truly become self-sufficient and no longer depend on social assistance.
“Every year there must be families that graduate. They must truly become self-sufficient families,” he affirmed.
In technical discussions, the Sigi Regency Government stated that permanent school construction is being further coordinated with the Ministry of Public Works.
Meanwhile, the Central Lombok delegation presented developments regarding administrative and technical matters relating to land. The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Robben Rico, explained that administratively, Central Lombok has entered a stage where execution can commence immediately, with some technical notes requiring completion at the district level.
Gus Ipul urged Central Lombok to move quickly, including beginning to prepare basic needs should the district need to commence a pilot phase.
“If it is a pilot, basic processes must start now. There must be recruitment of school principals and teachers. There must be beds, toilets, classrooms, a library, and a kitchen,” said Gus Ipul.
Gus Ipul reminded that this programme requires strong command from the regional head, as many technical details must be ensured from the outset, ranging from land status, environmental impact assessments, electricity networks, water systems, to readiness of supporting documents.
Through this audience, the Ministry of Social Affairs and local governments strengthened coordination so that construction of the permanent People’s Schools in Sigi and Central Lombok can proceed swiftly.