TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government is inviting private sector involvement in funding the Sekolah Rakyat (SR) initiative. However, Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf emphasized that the State Budget (APBN) will remain the primary funding source. 

“Yes, the private sector will provide additional support, but the main funding will still come from the APBN. President Prabowo Subianto has opened the door for private involvement,” Saifullah said during a visit to an SR location in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, on Thursday, March 20. 

Sekolah Rakyat, which translates to "People’s School" in Indonesian, is a government-led educational initiative aimed at providing accessible, quality education to underserved communities across the country. The program aims to close educational gaps by establishing state-supported schools that integrate character development with standard academics, in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s vision of improving social welfare through education. 

Saifullah, widely known as Gus Ipul, explained that private contributions could be channeled through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. However, the government is still determining the initiative’s total budget, calculating costs based on per-student operational expenses. “It’s not finalized yet, but we’re working on it. We’ll set the per-student cost and announce it later,” he noted. 

He noted that costs will differ by region and educational level, reflecting each area’s unique budgetary needs. “Costs for high school, middle school, and elementary school will vary. Each region has its own index, but we’ll settle on a final figure and share it soon,” Gus Ipul said. 

Managed by the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Sekolah Rakyat program is slated to launch in the 2025/2026 academic year, starting with the high school (SMA) level. The government plans to establish 100 Sekolah Rakyat institutions nationwide by the end of 2025. 

As part of the preparations, Mohammad Nuh, Chair of the Sekolah Rakyat Formation Team, announced that a task force will begin recruiting teachers and students on April 1, 2025. “From April 1, the task force will select students based on the socioeconomic ranking (desil) of each region,” Nuh said following a plenary meeting on new student admissions at the Ministry of Social Affairs office in Salemba, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday, March 19. 

Gus Ipul stated that Sekolah Rakyat will adhere to the national curriculum while adding enhancements. “It will follow the national curriculum but include additional elements, such as formal education and character development programs,” he said.

M. Rizki Yusrial contributed to the writing of this article

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