Ministry of Social Affairs Proposes Addition of 5,000 Teachers for People's Schools
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Social Affairs has proposed an addition of more than 5,000 teacher positions and 4,000 educational support staff to the Ministry of State Apparatus Utilization and Bureaucratic Reform (PAN-RB) to support the expansion of the People’s Schools programme.
Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, when met in Jakarta on Thursday, stated that the addition of personnel is necessary in line with the significant target increase in the number of students this year through to next year.
“We have submitted to the Ministry of PAN-RB to add more than 5,000 teachers and more than 4,000 other educational support staff for these People’s Schools,” he said.
In fact, by next year, the Ministry of Social Affairs will increase the number of new People’s Schools students to more than 60,000 as directed by President Prabowo Subianto.
“So, next year our overall target will be to serve more than 100,000 People’s Schools students, for which additional teachers are needed,” he explained.
The Ministry of Social Affairs has handed over to the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) to determine the required expertise or specifications for teachers and educational staff.
Nevertheless, he assured that the selected teachers and educational personnel will still undergo a series of special training and development or retreats to maintain the quality of teaching in People’s Schools.
“There will still be retreats and training to ensure the quality of education delivery for our students,” said Saifullah Yusuf.
People’s Schools is one of President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programmes designed to provide free education access for children from the lowest welfare families (Deciles 1-4) based on the National Socio-Economic Single Data (DTSEN).
This programme adopts an integrated poverty alleviation concept by integrating various flagship services, such as Free Nutritious Meals (MBG), Free Health Checks (CKG), PBI-JK health insurance, as well as linkages with the Red and White Cooperative and the 3 Million Houses Programme.
Based on Ministry of Social Affairs data, 166 pilot People’s Schools sites are currently operating in 38 provinces since July 2025. These facilities accommodate 15,900 students from primary to secondary levels, supported by thousands of educators.
The government is also in the process of building 101 permanent People’s Schools this year, as part of the major target of constructing 500 permanent schools by 2029.
In the Jakarta and surrounding areas, the Ministry of Social Affairs recently announced the addition of 10 pilot People’s Schools sites dedicated to accommodating neglected children, street children, and those at risk of dropping out of school.