Indonesia expands Sekolah Rakyat programme for disadvantaged children

Indonesia is expanding its Sekolah Rakyat (People’s School) programme to provide free education and boarding services to children from disadvantaged families. The initiative, launched by President Prabowo Subianto, aims to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by ensuring that economic hardship does not prevent access to quality schooling.

As of late 2026, the programme has reached over 44,000 students across 182 regions, covering primary, junior high, and senior high school levels. To support this growth, the government has completed 93 permanent school buildings, which include dormitories, libraries, laboratories, and medical facilities. The program utilizes the National Socio-Economic Single Data (DTSEN) to ensure assistance reaches those most in need.

The Indonesian government has set ambitious targets for the initiative, aiming to serve more than 150,000 students by 2027 and approximately 1 million by 2029. Infrastructure development is being accelerated across various islands, including Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, and Papua, to reduce regional disparities in educational access.