Social Affairs Ministry and DKI Jakarta Commit to Adding 1,000 Student Quota for Sekolah Rakyat

The Ministry of Social Affairs and the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government are committed to increasing the new student admission quota for the Sekolah Rakyat Programme specifically in the capital region by 1,000 individuals this year. Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf stated that the additional allocation is deliberately prioritised to enable more out-of-school children or those who have never attended school to receive a proper education. According to data received by the ministry, the national figure for out-of-school children currently stands at 4 million, which includes those within the DKI Jakarta area. “This year, the President wants to work with all of us so that specifically for DKI Jakarta, there is an addition of 1,000 students. In other places, it is only 270 per year per Sekolah Rakyat, but specifically for DKI, it is increased by 1,000 students,” said Saifullah. He explained that the standard quota for Sekolah Rakyat in other regions is usually limited to 90 students for the elementary level, 90 students for the junior high level, and 90 students for the senior high level. The Ministry of Social Affairs welcomed the swift response from the regional government, which will immediately follow up on the commitment to expand this reach through technical coordination at the directorate general level. Meanwhile, DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung added that the commitment to expand the student quota is highly relevant for immediate implementation, considering that economic inequality, or the Gini ratio, in Jakarta is relatively high in Indonesia. Pramono explained that with the official census population having surpassed 11 million, improving access to education for marginalised communities is a top priority for the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government. The provincial government has instructed relevant agency heads to immediately map out areas and prepare infrastructure for this boarding school. Pramono is eyeing areas in North Jakarta or West Jakarta for the construction of the boarding school complex with a capacity of 1,000 children, with land requirements estimated to reach 5 to 8 hectares.