Student from Government's 'Sekolah Rakyat' Programme Selected for National Paskibraka, Palace Hails Equal Opportunity
State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi has said that the selection of a Sekolah Rakyat student as a candidate for the 2026 national Paskibraka (flag-raising squad) proves that every Indonesian child has an equal opportunity to achieve, regardless of their family’s economic background.
The student is Ismi Ulfaida from Sekolah Rakyat Terintegrasi 22 Polewali Mandar, West Sulawesi. Ismi is the first Sekolah Rakyat student to successfully pass the national-level Paskibraka candidate selection.
“When we received the information that one of the Paskibraka candidates who qualified turned out to be from Sekolah Rakyat, we were frankly proud and moved as well,” Prasetyo said at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Ismi’s success has drawn attention because Sekolah Rakyat is an education programme intended for children from poor and extremely poor families. The programme is designed not only to provide access to education, but also to open opportunities for its students to develop their abilities and achieve.
For the government, the success of a Sekolah Rakyat student reaching the national level serves as an illustration that economic limitations should not be a barrier for children to compete. The opportunities available are expected to allow students to develop based on their abilities and hard work.
Prasetyo said President Prabowo Subianto may not yet be specifically aware of Ismi’s selection. The government, he added, also does not follow in detail the entire Paskibraka candidate selection process taking place across 38 provinces.
According to Prasetyo, the selection process itself demonstrates that participants receive opportunities based on their respective abilities. Family background and economic conditions are not differentiating factors in determining who is entitled to advance.
“We no longer differentiate between those who come from more affluent families and those who do not. Everything is based on competence, everything is based on hard work,” Prasetyo said.
Ismi is one of West Sulawesi’s representatives alongside M. Deni Fikri from UPTD SMA Negeri 1 Wonomulyo. Both will join representatives from other provinces to undergo a series of preparations ahead of the 81st anniversary ceremony of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia.
Becoming a member of the national Paskibraka, according to Prasetyo, is not an easy task. The candidates must undergo intensive physical training while also building mental readiness to carry out their duties at one of the state occasions that draws the attention of the Indonesian public.