School Students Lead Youth Pledge at Makassar Ceremony
The 2026 Youth Pledge Day commemoration at Sudiang Sports Hall in Makassar, South Sulawesi, was held in a lively atmosphere on Wednesday (28 October). Thousands of participants, including Sekolah Rakyat students, teachers and social workers, filled the venue to recite the Youth Pledge together.
The pledge was led by two Sekolah Rakyat students: Linggar Ardiansyah of SRMA 9 Jakarta and Muhammad Yusuf of SRMA 27 Takalar.
“Youth Pledge! We, the sons and daughters of Indonesia, acknowledge one homeland, the land of Indonesia,” read part of the pledge recited at the event.
In addition to the recitation, 741 students from various regions staged cultural performances. These included theatrical drama, poetry, traditional dances from Aceh, Sulawesi, Papua and East Nusa Tenggara, as well as martial arts and scouting demonstrations.
The event also coincided with the first anniversary of the Sekolah Rakyat programme. Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, known as Gus Ipul, said the occasion reflected the programme’s starting point, shared achievements and the tangible changes in students’ lives.
“Today, 28 October, we are commemorating Youth Pledge Day, as well as one year of the Sekolah Rakyat programme,” Yusuf said in a written statement on Wednesday (28 October 2026).
He explained that Sekolah Rakyat is a practical embodiment of the mandates set out in Articles 31, 34(1) and 33 of the 1945 Constitution, providing a framework for fulfilling the rights of children from low-income families.
“At Sekolah Rakyat, these three articles come together in one person: a child,” he said.
Yusuf added that the programme rests on three main pillars: social protection, social rehabilitation and social empowerment. He said this was in line with the President’s direct instructions.
“That is why the President entrusted us with three things: first, accurate data; second, the right beneficiaries; and third, Sekolah Rakyat. We are improving the data in collaboration with Statistics Indonesia (BPS) and local governments. As a result, assistance is reaching its intended recipients more accurately, and more than four million families who were previously missed are now being reached. This is what we call ‘rapid action under Article 34’,” he said.
Sekolah Rakyat has now expanded to 182 locations, serving 44,000 students. This includes 100 permanent Sekolah Rakyat sites—93 in operation and seven under construction—as well as dozens of pilot schools.
In its first year, students have won 11 international awards, more than 200 national awards, and over 1,100 achievements in sport, arts and science. Their learning is supported by nearly 5,000 teachers, 7,000 guardians and more than 2,000 residential supervisors, with a focus on physical, mental and academic development.
“They are not merely educators and carers. They are the children’s second fathers and mothers,” Yusuf concluded.
The event was also attended by Deputy Social Affairs Minister Agus Jabo, Deputy Culture Minister Giring Ganesha, Ombudsman RI chair Nuzran Joher, Deputy Chair of Commission V of the House of Representatives Andi Iwan Darmawan, Defence University Rector Lieutenant General (retired) Anton Nugroho, ESQ founder Ary Ginanjar Agustian, and IKPNI chair Meutia Farida Hatta Swasono.