One Year of Sekolah Rakyat: Deputy Minister Says 'Alhamdulillah, Quite Successful'
Over the past year, Sekolah Rakyat has been one of the government’s efforts to address the issue of children dropping out of school, never attending school, and not being in school from poor and extremely poor families. Although it has only been running for a year, the President’s priority programme is beginning to show results.
“It was indeed not easy at the beginning, but alhamdulillah, over this past year, the overall programme and implementation of Sekolah Rakyat has been quite successful. It is evident, for example, that children or students who previously lacked confidence have become confident. Those who were thin have gained weight,” said Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo Priyono in a statement on Friday (26/6/2026).
Agus Jabo made this statement during a CNN Indonesia talk show programme themed ‘1 Year of Sekolah Rakyat Igniting the Nation’s Hope and Future’ at Studio 2 of CNN Indonesia TV yesterday. Agus Jabo stressed that all Indonesian children must receive a proper education.
“For those who cannot afford it, the state must provide their schooling. That is the concept of Sekolah Rakyat,” he explained.
He explained that the Sekolah Rakyat programme does not only focus on children’s education, but also on empowering their families to break the chain of poverty.
“We empower the parents of these students so they can become independent, earn their own income, and live prosperously,” he explained.
Agus Jabo also emphasised that Sekolah Rakyat is one of the state’s steps to break the transmission of poverty.
“The President does not want that if the parents are poor, the children will also be poor. So Sekolah Rakyat is the state’s answer to breaking the chain of poverty,” he stressed.
On the same occasion, Member of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives Furtasan Ali Yusuf expressed full support for the Sekolah Rakyat programme. According to him, the Sekolah Rakyat programme needs to be integrated with the national education system.
“We definitely support it 100 percent. Because this is the President’s way of encouraging children who have no dreams to realise them,” said Furtasan.
Support for Sekolah Rakyat also came from Education and Career Consultant Ina Liem. She conveyed that the concept of Sekolah Rakyat has a basis related to the home conditions of children from poor and extremely poor families.
“So the idea is indeed very good. Because education actually starts from home, not from school. But the problem for the poor and extremely poor is that their homes are not conducive to education,” said Ina.
She assessed that the boarding school model provides space for children to receive more structured guidance.