People's Schools Strengthened, Access to Education and HR Quality Become Focus

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANJARBARU — The Sekolah Rakyat programme continues to be strengthened as part of the government’s efforts to expand access to education while enhancing the quality of national human resources (HR). In South Kalimantan, the Integrated People’s School (SRT) 9 Banjarbaru has become one of the examples of the programme’s implementation that is starting to show real impacts.

Head of SRT 9 Banjarbaru, Rifki Hakim, stated that this free education programme not only opens access for students but also brings educators from various regions across Indonesia. The diversity of teachers’ backgrounds is considered to enrich the learning process and broaden students’ horizons.

“Teachers come from various regions such as Java, Nusa Tenggara, to South Kalimantan. This gives a unique colour to the learning process,” he said.

All educators at the school hold PPPK status, providing them with employment certainty and allowing them to focus on carrying out their duties professionally. Support from accompanying staff also ensures the school’s operations run optimally every day.

In addition to strengthening the quality of learning, SRT 9 Banjarbaru adopts a dormitory-based system. This model enables students to receive more directed guidance, both academically and in character formation.

Through this system, students’ basic needs such as meals, security, and daily supervision can be met in an integrated manner. The dormitory environment is also seen as capable of building discipline and independence in students on a sustainable basis.

At the national level, attention to the Sekolah Rakyat programme is also growing stronger. President Prabowo Subianto has specifically requested strict supervision of the construction and implementation of the programme in the regions.

Deputy Chairman of the DPR RI Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal said that supervision is needed to ensure all stages of the programme run according to plan, on target, and sustainably. According to him, oversight should not only cover budgetary aspects but also administrative readiness to on-the-ground execution.

He emphasised that Sekolah Rakyat is a national priority in providing educational services to communities that previously had limited access. The programme is also considered strategic in building the quality of Indonesian HR as a long-term investment.

Cucun also encouraged strengthening cross-ministerial synergy so that the implementation of Sekolah Rakyat runs comprehensively, from curriculum to student character building. According to him, good coordination will prevent overlapping authorities and accelerate the resolution of field-level obstacles.

With a collaborative approach and an integrated education system, the government hopes that Sekolah Rakyat can become a real solution in equalising education while producing outstanding generations ready to face global challenges.