Social Minister to Oversee Construction of People's School on 9.6 Ha Land in East OKU

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Social Minister Saifullah Yusuf is ready to oversee the construction of the People’s School utilising 9.6 hectares of land in Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) Timur Regency, South Sumatra, as part of efforts to accelerate the free education programme for poor communities.

“This is already good; it must become a People’s School in East OKU. I will oversee this,” he said while receiving an audience from the Regent of East OKU, Lanosin, at the Ministry of Social Affairs Office, Jakarta, on Wednesday.

Saifullah explained that one of the requirements that local governments must meet in proposing construction includes providing at least seven hectares of land with clean and clear status and adequate access.

“In addition, the land must be certified, not in dispute, owned by the local government, and not located in a disaster-prone area,” he reminded.

In that meeting, the Regent of East OKU, Lanosin, affirmed that his side is ready to support the implementation of the poverty alleviation programme through free education for children from families at the lowest socio-economic level.

“Whatever the requirements, we are ready to implement the People’s School,” Lanosin said.

The People’s School is one of President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programmes to provide free and quality education access for children from families with the lowest welfare levels (Deciles 1-4) in the National Socio-Economic Single Data (DTSEN).

This programme is designed as an integrated poverty alleviation model because it combines various flagship government programmes such as Free Health Checks (CKG), Free Nutritious Meals (MBG), PBI-JK health insurance, Red and White Village/Urban Ward Cooperatives, as well as the 3 Million Houses Programme for beneficiary student families.

The Ministry of Social Affairs, as the technical implementer, reported that there are currently 166 pilot People’s School sites spread across 38 provinces, with a capacity of 15,900 students, supported by 2,400 teachers and more than 4,000 educational personnel at the primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary levels or equivalent.