People's Schools Programme Seen as Foundation for Human Capital Towards Golden Indonesia 2045
JAKARTA (ANTARA) – Labour social security expert Teguh Purwanto said the People’s Schools Programme has the potential to become a strategic foundation for human capital development towards Golden Indonesia 2045.
According to Teguh, the programme, aimed at children from poor and extremely poor families, not only expands access to education but also serves as an instrument for equitable national human resource quality.
“People’s Schools provide equal opportunities for children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to access better education and achieve a brighter future,” Teguh said in a statement in Jakarta on Sunday.
He said education is a crucial instrument in building the quality of the younger generation, not only academically but also in character development, critical thinking, social skills, confidence, and leadership.
He added that the success of People’s Schools also depends heavily on the quality of educators and programme managers involved.
Therefore, he stressed the importance of comprehensive social security protection for teachers and all workers within People’s Schools.
He viewed the government’s move to place People’s Schools teachers under the Civil Servant (ASN) Government Employee with Work Agreement (PPPK) scheme as appropriate, as it provides legal certainty and adequate social protection.
“The state is present to ensure their basic rights through social security as both workers and educators,” he said.
The former senior BPJS Ketenagakerjaan official explained that People’s Schools teachers have different responsibilities compared to regular educators, as they not only teach but also mentor students in boarding facilities and are prepared to be stationed across various regions of Indonesia.
These duties require social protection covering Work Accident Insurance (JKK), Death Insurance (JKM), Old Age Insurance (JHT), and pension schemes.
“If teachers and workers in People’s Schools feel safe and protected, they will give their best to educate the nation’s children,” he said.
Social protection for teachers, Teguh said, should be viewed as a long-term investment in improving national education quality.
Referring to several studies, including by RAND Corporation, he stated that educator stability is a key factor influencing educational success, particularly for vulnerable students.
“Investing in teachers’ welfare is a direct investment in educational quality. Every protection provided to teachers will yield better human resource quality in the future,” he said.
He proposed strengthening an integrated social protection system within the People’s Schools ecosystem, from teachers and administrative staff to other supporting workers.
He hopes People’s Schools can become a model for national education development that excels not only in curriculum but also in providing welfare and protection for educators.
“When children from poor families are nurtured by dedicated teachers protected by a robust social security system, that is the strong foundation for producing competitive human resources towards Golden Indonesia 2045,” Teguh said.