West Muna's 'Sekolah Rakyat' Land Expanded to 10 Hectares, Can Accommodate 2,000 Students
The West Muna Regency Government has expanded the land for the construction of a permanent Sekolah Rakyat (People’s School) from an initial 6 hectares to 10 hectares. The land expansion follows an increase in the school’s capacity from 1,000 to 2,000 students, in accordance with a directive from President Prabowo Subianto.
With the land expansion, Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo Priyono confirmed that the proposal for the construction of the Sekolah Rakyat in West Muna Regency will be processed so that it can enter the tender phase in October 2026. "After the administrative process at the Ministry of Social Affairs is complete, we will submit it to the Minister of Social Affairs for signing. We will then forward it to the Ministry of Public Works. The plan is for the tender to take place this October," Agus said in a statement on Thursday (30/7/2026).
He made the remarks while receiving an audience with West Muna Deputy Regent Ali Basa at the Ministry of Social Affairs office in Jakarta on Wednesday (29/7/2026). Agus stated that the Ministry of Social Affairs has proposed 110 locations for the construction of Sekolah Rakyat to the Ministry of Public Works. Following the President’s additional development targets, subsequent proposals, including the one from West Muna Regency, will be submitted once all administrative processes are complete.
He explained that if the tender process occurs in October, construction is targeted to begin this year. "If it can enter the tender in October, construction will start this year. Next year, student recruitment can already open. Because recruitment for the following academic year begins next December. So this process is very fast," Agus explained.
Agus assessed that the increase in Sekolah Rakyat’s capacity to 2,000 students necessitates additional land and buildings. Therefore, the land expansion carried out by the West Muna Regency Government is deemed to have adjusted to the needs of the large-scale boarding school construction. To expedite the process, Agus requested that the West Muna Regency Government continue coordinating with the Joint Secretariat for Sekolah Rakyat. Subsequently, the Joint Secretariat will coordinate with the Ministry of Public Works to conduct field verification.
Meanwhile, West Muna Deputy Regent Ali Basa stated that Sekolah Rakyat is a necessity for the community, especially for children in island regions who have dropped out of school. "We have communities from the islands, some can clearly attend school, while others drop out. The important thing is that they can read and write. We hope that in the future, they will gain life skills at that school," Ali Basa said. He conveyed that the proposed location for the construction of the Sekolah Rakyat is in Sawerigadi Village, Barangka District, West Muna Regency. The land, owned by the regency government, is in a strategic area, only about one kilometre from the national highway. This condition is expected to facilitate access for students, teaching staff, and school operations.