President Prabowo orders rapid expansion of Indonesia’s ‘School of the People’ in Bali

President Prabowo Subianto visited the Sekolah Rakyat Menengah Pertama (SRMP) 17 in Tabanan, Bali on 7 June 2026. He was greeted with student yel‑yel and a traditional kecak dance, and listened to personal stories from pupils about overcoming poverty and bullying. The school, designed for children from the poorest households (Desil 1‑2), has exceeded its capacity, hosting about 400 students despite a 270‑student limit. In response, Prabowo instructed Minister of Social Saifullah Yusuf and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya to accelerate the creation of additional Sekolah Rakyat facilities in Bali, mobilise unused state assets, and coordinate with local governments so that each regency has at least one school. The program targets 15 000 students in the 2025‑26 school year and 45 000 in 2026‑27 nationwide. Prabowo emphasized that education and training are essential for national welfare, urging students to work hard, respect teachers and peers, and respond to bullying with dignity.