Social Affairs Minister Reports Progress of SRMP 17 Tabanan to President

The Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah Yusuf, has directly reported the progress of the Sekolah Rakyat Menengah Pertama (SRMP) 17 Tabanan in Bali to President Prabowo Subianto.

“This is SRMP 17 Tabanan, and there has been extraordinary progress; students are more disciplined, possess better character, and are more orderly. Their parents are all proud and wish for them to continue their education,” the Minister stated in Tabanan on Sunday.

In his report to President Prabowo, Gus Ipul (as he is commonly known) explained that there are currently three study groups at the junior high school level in SRMP 17 Tabanan. To date, at least 74 students have participated in the learning process for 11 months, showing positive development. He noted, for instance, that some students who had previously dropped out of school have been able to resume their education thanks to the school located in the centre of Tabanan.

He emphasised that students are recruited based on government outreach rather than open registration, specifically targeting those listed in the Ministry of Social Affairs’ Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS). “If they are not in the DTKS, an update and verification process will be conducted. We have strictly prohibited bribery, payments, or any form of patronage; this has been communicated to the facilitators and the local government involved in the outreach for the People’s School students,” he said.

In addition to student progress, Gus Ipul reported on the facilities available at the People’s School, which include dormitories, classrooms, a dining hall, an assembly hall, a laboratory, and a library, supported by digital learning tools such as laptops and mobile devices.

To further support the learning process at SRMP 17 Tabanan, as it is a pilot community school, the Ministry of Social Affairs will complete the construction of a permanent building. However, the new location will not be in Tabanan but in Karangasem, which is intended to accommodate 270 students, with over 400 potential participants already identified.

“The capacity for junior and senior high school levels has already exceeded the initial allocation, while the primary school level is still in progress. The construction of the People’s School in Karangasem by the Ministry of Public Works has reached almost 80 per cent,” he concluded.