Jakarta, May 24, 2025 — The Sekolah Rakyat (Community School) program does not stand alone in the government’s effort to combat poverty. The basic education initiative, which targets children from impoverished and extremely poor families, is integrated with broader Social Protection and Family Empowerment programs.

This synergy was highlighted during the “Double Check” public forum, themed “How Far Does the State Protect Its People?” Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo Priyono revealed that upon his and Minister of Social Affairs Syaifullah Yusuf’s appointment, President Prabowo Subianto immediately tasked them with tackling poverty head-on.

“According to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), there are 3.1 million people living in extreme poverty—about 0.7% of the population. This must be resolved before 2026. Meanwhile, the general poverty rate, currently at 8.57% or around 24 million people, must fall below 5% by 2029,” he said on Saturday (May 24, 2025).

Deputy Minister Agus emphasized that the Ministry of Social Affairs cannot take on this enormous challenge alone. It requires coordination across ministries, agencies, and regional governments. He pointed to the story of Naila, a child introduced by President Prabowo at a post-Eid gathering with retired Army officers and members of the extended TNI-Polri family at Balai Kartini on May 6, 2025.

“Naila, in Makassar, lives in a bamboo-walled house with a tin roof. The land is under dispute. We stepped in together. She was enrolled in the Community School, we coordinated with the mayor, ensured she was cared for, her family supported, and her housing situation resolved. That’s why every ministry is involved,” Agus explained at the event, which was organized by Gempita and held at Galeri Cemara.

He noted that the Ministry of Social Affairs has traditionally worked at the downstream level—alleviating poverty. But President Prabowo has instructed the ministry to shift gears and focus on empowering people to break free from poverty. The goal of this empowerment is to lift children from underprivileged families into self-sufficiency.

To achieve this, the Ministry is prioritizing social protection and security programs.

Nearly all of its Rp75 trillion (approximately $4.8 billion) budget is allocated to two key social assistance programs: the Family Hope Program (Program Keluarga Harapan or PKH) and the Non-Cash Food Assistance Program (Bantuan Pangan Non Tunai or BPNT). Both are delivered directly to beneficiaries through cash transfers to their personal bank accounts.

Deputy Minister Agus also announced that 65 Sekolah Rakyat are set to open this July in time for the new academic year. These schools utilize existing facilities under the Ministry of Social Affairs. The number of schools is expected to increase to 100 by year’s end.

Local governments are being brought in to support the initiative through coordination on land use, permits, road access, water, and electricity. Proposed sites must be free of legal disputes. Local governments are also responsible for ensuring proper infrastructure and building conditions—requiring close inter-agency collaboration.

This aligns with remarks from Isra Ramli, Deputy I for Content and Information at the Presidential Communication Office (PCO). He said three ministries carry the mandate to improve public welfare: the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, and the Ministry of Health.

“The PCO coordinates with these three ministries to help the people achieve prosperity. President Prabowo’s programs are not targeted at specific groups—they are universal, designed to uplift all Indonesians,” Isra said.

He added that today’s government programs go beyond simply offering aid; they focus on empowerment. He cited Sekolah Rakyat as a program that will eventually develop its own ecosystem, generating a multiplier effect.

“We are fortunate to have a President with big ideas and a technocratic mindset. We are no longer debating ideologies—we are making real progress on the goals of these programs,” Isra said.