Indonesia to Establish 200 Free Boarding Schools to Combat Poverty

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: The Indonesian government has announced plans to build 200 free boarding schools this year under the Sekolah Rakyat (People’s School) program, aimed at supporting children from underprivileged families.

During a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday, President Prabowo Subianto stated that the initiative will provide education for students from elementary to senior high school levels.

“The schools must be located in areas of concentrated poverty. We want to break the poverty cycle. We want to eradicate poverty as soon as possible, and I believe we can do it,” Prabowo emphasized.

The Sekolah Rakyat program is designed to address intergenerational poverty by ensuring children from low-income backgrounds have access to quality education and boarding facilities. Each school will accommodate approximately 1,000 students, providing them with a structured learning environment and essential resources.

The government aims to inaugurate 53 Sekolah Rakyat institutions within the next three months, with the remaining 147 schools to follow soon after. Prabowo affirmed that the Ministry of Social Affairs has already secured buildings and land for the initial phase, requiring only minor renovations.

The long-term goal of the program is to establish 200 schools annually, ensuring that within five years, each district in Indonesia has at least one Sekolah Rakyat school.

Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf previously stated that his ministry has identified over 200 potential sites for the program, underscoring the government’s commitment to enhancing access to education and improving social welfare nationwide.