Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf has assured the public that the government is fully committed to ensuring a fair and transparent admission process for students in schools established under the tuition-free Sekolah Rakyat program.
“Generally, the public supports the Sekolah Rakyat program, as long as its implementation stays true to its goal, with the admission process free from bribery, corruption, collusion, and nepotism,” he stated at the Social Affairs Ministry Headquarters in Jakarta on Thursday.
The minister emphasized that the government uses the National Single Social and Economic Data (DTSEN) to identify and select prospective students for the program, in accordance with Presidential Instruction No. 8 of 2025 on poverty reduction and the elimination of extreme poverty.
This approach ensures that Sekolah Rakyat strictly admits children from poor and extremely poor families in need of quality education.
He then noted that the government will implement the Sekolah Rakyat program through two types of schools: trailblazer and permanent.
According to Yusuf, trailblazer schools will operate on renovated sites belonging to government institutions, including the Ministry of Social Affairs.
“Based on assessments and surveys conducted by the Ministry of Public Works, 100 sites have been declared feasible to accommodate a total of 9,700 students as trailblazer schools,” Yusuf noted.
The minister elaborated that of the 100 schools, 63 are set to begin teaching and learning activities on July 14 this year, with the rest to follow by the end of the month.
Regarding permanent schools, the minister highlighted that the government plans to begin construction at 100 locations in September, with completion targeted for June 2026.
Each permanent school is expected to accommodate around one thousand students across elementary, junior high, and senior high school levels, he added.
Yusuf underlined that the presence of Sekolah Rakyat would not negatively impact existing schools.
“Sekolah Rakyat will not lead to a decline in student numbers at other schools, as the program specifically targets children who do not currently attend school or those at risk of dropping out,” he affirmed.
