Pekanbaru to distribute free school uniforms to students

The Pekanbaru City Government is preparing to distribute free school uniforms to new students, a program that includes students at partner private junior high schools (SMP) in addition to those in public schools.

Abdul Jamal, the Acting Head of the Pekanbaru Education Office, stated that data collection regarding school types and student uniform sizes is currently underway. The program aims to alleviate the cost of school supplies for families. For public schools, the initiative targets approximately 9,800 new elementary school (SD) students and 11,000 new junior high school (SMP) students.

Each recipient will receive three sets of uniforms. Students qualifying through the affirmation track will also receive additional assistance in the form of bags and notebooks. The distribution is scheduled to begin in October. In the interim, the Education Office has advised schools to allow students to wear their old uniforms or neat casual clothing while the process is finalized.