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Government races against time to launch Sekolah Rakyat
With the program scheduled to open in July, just months after its announcement, the focus has been on renovating state-owned buildings as well as recruiting teachers and support staff to meet the tight timeline.
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Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf (center) talks with South Sulawesi Governor Andi Sudirman Sualiman (left) and Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin (right) when inspecting a potential location for Sekolah Rakyat (People's School) in Makassar, South Sulawesi on May. 8, 2025. The Social Affairs Ministry will open two Sekolah Rakyat, President Prabowo Subianto's program for impoverished students, in Makassar with total capacity for 500 students. (Antara/Hasrul Said)
T
he government is moving at full speed to prepare for the launch of President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship education initiative, Sekolah Rakyat (community school), which aims to provide free boarding school education to underprivileged children from elementary to secondary levels.
With the program scheduled to open in July, just months after its announcement, the focus has been on renovating state-owned buildings as well as recruiting teachers and support staff to meet the tight timeline.
However, as the Public Works Ministry scrambles to retrofit dozens of facilities and the Social Affairs Ministry accelerates staffing efforts, critics warn that the program’s foundation remains shaky, with key questions about planning, quality and inclusivity left unanswered.
Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf says the new schools for the program will provide facilities on a par with top-tier institutions without tests on academic performance or IQ, which often restrict access to quality education.
“The only requirement to enter a Sekolah Rakyat is that the children come from poor families and have a willingness to learn,” Saifullah said on Wednesday in a statement on the ministry’s website.
But many are skeptical that the government's timeline allows for the delivery of meaningful quality education or a thorough assessment of students' needs.
Read also: Sekolah Rakyat under spotlight after displacement of disabled students
