President Prabowo Launches Tuition-Free “Sekolah Rakyat” Education Program

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has officially launched the tuition-free education program Sekolah Rakyat (People’s School), aimed at ensuring equal access to quality education for children from economically disadvantaged families, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf emphasized.

“President Prabowo dedicates Sekolah Rakyat to underprivileged families, ensuring that all Indonesian children can attend school. This is certainly a noble initiative,” Yusuf stated while receiving officials from Lima Puluh Kota District, West Sumatra, at his office in Jakarta on Thursday (September 11).

In a statement issued Friday, the minister urged local governments, including Lima Puluh Kota, to actively contribute to the program’s implementation in order to break the cycle of poverty. He encouraged District Head Safni Sikumbang to begin executing the initiative by preparing and opening temporary schools using existing sites or unused buildings.

“If you have an idle building, you can transform it into a pioneering Sekolah Rakyat. Just admit 50 pupils first, and we will help establish a permanent school later,” Yusuf said, stressing the importance of talent mapping to nurture students’ optimal development.

To further highlight the program’s significance, the minister presented a video featuring the stories of two students—Sofia from Kupang and Saifuddin from Banjarmasin—whose educational journeys were transformed by Sekolah Rakyat. The children shared how the program revived their hopes for a brighter future despite financial hardship.

“There are nearly four million school-age children across Indonesia facing similar struggles,” Yusuf noted. “Sekolah Rakyat is a golden bridge leading our children toward their dreams. This program will help them become teachers, entrepreneurs, police officers, doctors, or soldiers.”

Expressing his support, Lima Puluh Kota District Head Sikumbang thanked the Social Affairs Ministry for its encouragement.

“We are very motivated to promptly implement Sekolah Rakyat in our region. We ask for your full support, sir,” he told the minister.