Social Affairs Minister Appreciates East Java's Commitment to 'Sekolah Rakyat'

Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, also known as Gus Ipul, has expressed his appreciation to the regents, mayors, and Governor of East Java for their commitment to supporting the Sekolah Rakyat programme. The statement was made after attending an Open House event for parents and prospective students at Sekolah Rakyat Menengah Atas (SRMA) 21 in Surabaya, East Java, on Friday (26/6). “We thank all the regents and mayors, especially the Governor of East Java, who from the beginning has provided tremendous support for the implementation of the pilot Sekolah Rakyat. East Java is the province with the most locations for implementing these people’s schools,” he said in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday. He explained that 26 pilot Sekolah Rakyat are currently operating across various districts and cities in East Java. Simultaneously, 16 permanent Sekolah Rakyat buildings are under construction and are expected to be completed by July 2026, ready for use in the 2026/2027 new academic year. Each permanent building is targeted to accommodate approximately one thousand students from elementary, junior high, and senior high school levels. “Across Indonesia, permanent buildings will be constructed at 104 locations, and 16 of them are in East Java,” said Minister Gus Ipul. “East Java is very supportive, where currently the most SRs are in East Java, totalling 26 locations, while others are still below that. Then, 16 permanent SR campuses are being built to modern standards,” he added. The open house activity was held to provide an opportunity for prospective students and their parents, as well as community leaders and local government officials, to see first-hand the learning progress of Sekolah Rakyat students. During the event, students performed a variety of displays for the attendees, including marching variations, hadrah, traditional dance, pencak silat, English and Arabic speeches, a choir, and poetry. The students performed confidently and cohesively, demonstrating their development since entering Sekolah Rakyat. In addition to watching the student performances, Gus Ipul also engaged in dialogue with parents, students, and prospective students.