Surabaya (ANTARA) - Indonesia aims to begin operating tuition-free Sekolah Rakyat schools by July at 97 construction sites, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said, as the government expands access to education for disadvantaged children.

“The Public Works Ministry is building Sekolah Rakyat facilities at 97 locations,” Yusuf said during a site review in Surabaya, East Java, on Sunday.

The projects mark Phase II of the program, following earlier operations at existing government facilities used as temporary schools since last year.

Yusuf said 67 permanent complexes are expected to be completed by the July target, while remaining sites will begin classes as construction continues.

Each site is designed to serve about 1,000 students across elementary, middle, and high school levels, with facilities including dormitories, libraries, laboratories, clinics, and extracurricular spaces.

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He said President Prabowo Subianto launched the program to expand access to quality education, targeting out-of-school children from low-income families.

“We do not open registration; we proactively reach children who are not enrolled, have dropped out, or are at risk,” Yusuf said.

The government aims to build at least one permanent Sekolah Rakyat complex in every district and city nationwide.

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“If we reach 500 permanent schools, capacity would exceed 500,000 students. This supports poverty reduction,” he said.

Yusuf also praised the Surabaya city administration for providing land to accelerate development of a permanent complex.

 



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