Short Film "Sekolah Rakyat" to Highlight Education's Role in Poverty Alleviation

The Ministry of Social Affairs, in collaboration with the Penjaga Harapan platform, will soon produce a short film titled “Sekolah Rakyat” to portray the struggles of children from extremely poor families in accessing education as part of poverty alleviation efforts. “Sekolah Rakyat is not the goal, but a tool provided by the state so that children from poor families can realise their dreams and their families can graduate from poverty,” said Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo Priyono during an audience with the Penjaga Harapan creative team at the Ministry of Social Affairs office in Jakarta on Tuesday (23/6). In a statement on Wednesday, Agus said the majority of Sekolah Rakyat students come from families in decile 1 and decile 2 of the National Single Socio-Economic Data (DTSEN), who face very limited economic conditions. Through the boarding school concept, the programme is expected to open access to proper education without being constrained by zoning or geographical limitations. The approximately 25-minute film will tell the story of a child from a modest family who initially had to work every day until finally getting the opportunity to attend Sekolah Rakyat. The story is set in the Cariu area and its surroundings, carrying a message of transformation “from darkness to light”. Penjaga Harapan Content Coordinator Doni Adhitia said the film is prepared as a medium to introduce the values and objectives of the Sekolah Rakyat programme to the public through a dramatic approach that highlights life changes without exploiting suffering. “We hope this film becomes a collaborative effort to bring the ideological values of Sekolah Rakyat to the public. This is not just a story, but an effort to foster empathy and understanding that this programme truly touches people’s lives,” he said. Agus also expressed support for the film’s production process and stressed the importance of creating work that has an impact on society. Penjaga Harapan CEO Wildanshah said the film is part of an effort to bridge government policy communication to the public with a more easily understood approach. “We see this film as part of an effort to convey government programmes in a more grounded and easily understood manner. The substance of the programme remains the state’s, and creative approaches like this complement efforts to broaden the message’s reach,” he said. Film production is scheduled to take place over three days with a research-based approach and consultation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the film community. The film is expected to broaden public understanding of the role of education in improving human resource quality and supporting poverty alleviation efforts.