Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf (centre) talking with South Sulawesi Governor Andi Sudirman Sualiman (left) and Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin (right) when inspecting a potential location for community schools in Makassar, South Sulawesi on May 8, 2025. - Antara
JAKARTA: The government continues to work to prepare for the establishment of Sekolah Rakyat (community schools), President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship programme aimed at low-income families, as authorities start to select potential students ahead of their nationwide opening slated for this year.
After months of finalising the project, the administrative selection stage for prospective students has started, according to Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf.
At least 8,000 student hopefuls have so far registered to enrol in regions where the schools have been slated to open. Sekolah Rakyat will utilise either buildings owned by the Social Affairs Ministry or halls run by local administrations.
“We have started [the process] by visiting one of the prospective students in Bandar Lampung today,” Saifullah said during his visit to the Lampung provincial capital on Monday.
On his trip across provinces to inspect the schools’ locations over the week, local authorities also helped the minister assess the students’ houses to collect data on their families’ social and economic conditions.
Prospective students will have to come from households that are included in the “poverty” and “extreme poverty” categories in the government’s Single National Social and Economic Data (DTSEN) system to be considered for the school.
After it finishes collecting the students’ data, the Social Affairs Ministry will perform a health examination on the students before finalising their enrollment.
Saifullah stressed there would be no academic test for the students.
Officially announced by President Prabowo in March, Sekolah Rakyat will be free of any cost.
The boarding-school programme will cover elementary, junior and senior high school levels.
In a limited interview with media leaders, Prabowo said the boarding school system would teach discipline and provide good meals to the impoverished children, while giving them a proper education to break their families’ chains of poverty.
The President aimed to open a total of 200 Sekolah Rakyat across the nation, with at least 53 planned for the first phase, and are scheduled to open in the upcoming academic year starting in July.
Around 1,000 students are expected to enrol at each school.
The schools that are ready for the July opening have since grown to 65, according to Saifullah, after confirming that more buildings are available for use.
Education observers have generally applauded the project, with many highlighting its importance while also stressing the need for the government to guide the students after they graduate.
The Social Affairs Ministry is considering providing scholarships for Sekolah Rakyat graduates who want to continue their studies in the higher education level.
“We want to direct these future Sekolah Rakyat graduates to continue paving their future according to their passions,” Minister Saifullah said on Monday.
He added that the ministry would provide graduates with planning to enter a specific job market or upskilling course, although he did not elaborate further on the plan.
“Essentially, we want to provide these students opportunities to either continue their education at university level or to work immediately.”
Despite the warm response, some experts have been critical of the project, with Anggi Afriansyah of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) previously urging extra attention and “cultural sensitivity” in providing education for students coming from impoverished environments.
Elementary and Secondary Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti, whose ministry is assisting the Social Affairs Ministry in the project, previously said the schools’ curriculum would allow its students to reach their academic goals at their own pace.
The schools ministry is also in charge of recruiting teachers for Sekolah Rakyat, with the recruitment drive having opened in April. Mu’ti said the teachers recruited for the programme would have Teacher’s Professional Education (PPG) certification and would teach more than one subject.
Minister Saifullah added that English and mathematics would be introduced in the early phase of the learning process. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
