Waskita Karya Builds Five 'Sekolah Rakyat' in East Java with Rp1.16 Trillion Budget

PT Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk (WSKT) is constructing five Sekolah Rakyat (People’s Schools) in East Java Province, with a total contract value of Rp1.16 trillion. The five schools are located across four regencies and one city: Gresik Regency, Jombang Regency, Sampang Regency, Tuban Regency, and Surabaya City.

“In line with the government’s directive, Sekolah Rakyat is not just a place to study, but also an integrated educational environment. We designed the educational facilities in East Java to serve as a model of an integrated area capable of producing the nation’s future excellent generation,” said Director of Operations II at WSKT, Paulus Budi Kartiko, in an official statement in Jakarta on Monday.

Paulus stated that the construction of Sekolah Rakyat further strengthens the company’s track record as a state-owned construction enterprise with over 65 years of experience in delivering beneficial infrastructure for the nation. “Moving forward, we remain committed to supporting government programmes while promoting the improvement of public welfare,” Paulus said.

The company reported that the Sekolah Rakyat Terintegrasi (SRT) 2 in Surabaya, East Java, which it built, has already begun to be used by students and teachers. Hundreds of elementary, junior high, and senior high school students have been participating in the school environment orientation period since Thursday (30/7).

Paulus explained that the SRT project is part of an investment in nation-building, and the company strove to complete the school, which has a capacity of 370 students, as quickly as possible with the best results. “We deployed nearly 4,500 workers to complete the Sekolah Rakyat projects in East Java, including SRT 2 Surabaya. They worked day and night in shifts to ensure the building could be used for teaching and learning activities by August,” he said.

He detailed that the company used a half-slab method for the second-floor plate work, employed hiab cranes to accelerate material distribution, and used concrete pumps and mobile cranes for casting. “A steel superstructure was also installed, along with the acceleration of the PLN electricity connection by adjusting the panel layout according to technical standards,” he explained.

Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa visited the SRT 2 Surabaya site as part of the government’s efforts to ensure the smooth implementation of President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programmes. The visit also underscored the state’s commitment to human resource development through financing from the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN). During his visit, Purbaya interacted with the students and reminded them that the main goal of Sekolah Rakyat is to expand access to quality education for Indonesian children. “Sekolah Rakyat is one of the assets to support a Golden Indonesia,” Purbaya said.

Previously, Head of the Government Communication Agency (Bakom) Muhammad Qodari also visited SRT 2 Surabaya and inspected various facilities, including the teachers’ room, student dormitories, toilets, laboratories, sports field, and a mosque. Qodari expressed his appreciation for the SRT 2 building, which stands on 6.6 hectares of land. He noted that the school not only has complete facilities but also high standards, making it comparable to private schools. “The facilities are extraordinary. Usually, only very good and very expensive private schools have facilities like these, but here they are intended for the less fortunate,” Qodari said.