Indramayu (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar on Saturday inspected a site for a tuition-free school that is being readied in Indramayu, West Java, under the Sekolah Rakyat (People's School) program.
"This location shows a sound level of readiness, but still requires renovation and additional preparations," he said after reviewing the site, which has been hosting prospective Hajj pilgrims so far.
Iskandar highlighted that the school is targeted to begin operations in the 2025–2026 academic year under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Affairs.
The minister further informed that the planned school, designed as a junior high school with dormitory facilities, will cater to the educational needs of local children from economically underprivileged families.
"Essentially, school complexes under the Sekolah Rakyat program are designed to include dormitories and school buildings," he said.
Regarding budgeting, Iskandar emphasized that the educational program would be financed by the central and regional governments, as well as the private sector.
Meanwhile, Indramayu District Head Lucky Hakim lauded the minister's visit and assured that his team would promptly begin renovating the school site to advance the program's implementation.
"This building will be revitalized to bring benefits to the community," he said.
Hakim also praised the national program, describing it as a concrete solution to address the limited access to education affecting children from poor families.
He assured that the families of future students would not have to worry about the costs of educational services or daily supplies.
"All key aspects, such as food and uniforms, are guaranteed. The target is for the school to begin operations in July or August at the latest," he said.
