Gov’t Reaffirms Commitment through Sekolah Rakyat: Cabinet Secretary

Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya inspects Sekolah Rakyat Menengah Atas 33 in South Tangerang, on Sunday (10/19). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat)

The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to education and improving the welfare of the people through programs that directly benefit the people, including the Sekolah Rakyat (People’s School) program.

“Essentially, the Sekolah Rakyat program initiated by the President has started its operation in 165 locations and will be officially inaugurated by the end of the year,” Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said after inspecting Sekolah Rakyat Menengah Atas 33 (SRMA 33/Secondary School) in South Tangerang, Sunday (10/19).

During the inspection, the Cabinet Secretary observed various arts and skills presented by the students, while pointing out that their talents reflect the vast potential of Indonesian youth, which must be nurtured through accessible education.

Beyond education, he said, the program also provides nutritional support, healthcare, and proper accommodation for students.

“This is the purpose of Sekolah Rakyat. The Minister has explained earlier that Mr. President wants all Indonesian children to have access to education through public schools, specifically Sekolah Rakyat.  So, for children who have dropped out of school, never attended due to family or other reasons, or had their education interrupted because of the economy, they can attend again to receive education and skills,” he said.

On that occasion, the Cabinet Secretary also reiterated the Government’s recent launch of economic stimulus on Friday (10/17), stating that the Government prepares additional direct cash assistance (BLT) packages for people in deciles 1 to 4 for the period of October to December 2025.

This assistance is sourced from budget efficiency and will be distributed through banks and post offices.

“The total allocation is Rp30 trillion for 35.4 million beneficiary families. Where does it come from? From budget efficiency the Government has implemented since the start of the year, and this is why we do budget efficiency, so we can reallocate the budget from non-essential areas to the program we want to achieve,” he said.

Teddy added that the assistance distribution is intended to ease the financial burden of low-income families, support children’s schooling needs, and help sustain the livelihood of the people.

“The eligible families will receive Rp300,000 per month for three months starting from Monday. So, next week, you can withdraw Rp900,000 at once through your assigned bank accounts as well as post offices,” he stated.

Nearing the one-year mark of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran’s administration, the Cabinet Secretary stated that many achievements have benefited the people.

“During this one year, the people have already experienced the results of the Government’s implemented measures. Of course, these efforts must be continuously improved. Going forward, we hope this aligns with the aspiration of the President as well as the people,” he concluded. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (FI/EP)