Mother Expresses Hope for Daughter's Future Through Pangkep 'Sekolah Rakyat' Programme

Hajrah, a single mother and domestic worker from Pangkajene and Islands Regency (Pangkep), South Sulawesi, is pinning her hopes on the Sekolah Rakyat Terintegrasi (SRT) 67 to secure a brighter future for her daughter, Citra Nur Rahmadani (10).

Struggling to raise her child alone after her husband passed away from illness, Hajrah works sweeping a mosque in the mornings before taking on laundry jobs to make ends meet. “It’s painful because you have to earn money all by yourself. When her father died, Citra was devastated because she was very close to him,” Hajrah said, as quoted from an official statement by the Government Communication Office (Bakom) on Friday.

Before enrolling in Sekolah Rakyat, Citra’s life was marked by hardship. She often helped her mother sell peanuts after school and had previously withdrawn from her old school after becoming a victim of bullying. “Since entering Sekolah Rakyat, Citra has become more diligent in her studies and prayers. I am so proud she could get into Sekolah Rakyat,” Hajrah said, expressing her happiness.

Witnessing her daughter’s positive development, Hajrah is determined that Citra will continue her education to the highest possible level to break the family’s cycle of poverty. “Citra must be more successful, not like Mama,” Hajrah asserted.

In response to her mother’s tireless struggle, Citra expressed her gratitude and affection for Hajrah’s steadfastness in caring for the family since her father’s passing.

Sekolah Rakyat is a national priority programme targeting children from families in the lowest welfare brackets, specifically Desil 1 to 4 in the National Socio-Economic Single Data (DTSEN). The boarding school programme, managed by the Ministry of Social Affairs, is designed as an integrated poverty alleviation strategy, combining education, healthcare, nutrition, and family socio-economic empowerment. In its implementation, Sekolah Rakyat is linked to various government programmes, including Free Health Check-ups (CKG), Free Nutritious Meals (MBG), PBI-JK health insurance, the Koperasi Desa Merah Putih village cooperative, and the 3 Million Homes Programme for the families of beneficiary students. This integration aims to ensure that children from underprivileged families can learn without being burdened by economic and health issues.