Prabowo Targets Building 500 People's Schools in Indonesia by 2029

January 13, 2026 | 09:55 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has set a target to build 500 so-called “people’s schools” nationwide by the end of his term in 2029, as part of a broader effort to expand access to education and reduce extreme poverty.

On Monday, January 12, 2026, Prabowo inaugurated 166 people’s schools across all 34 provinces and 131 districts and cities. The inauguration was held at Integrated People’s School (Sekolah Rakyat Terpadu/SRT) 9 in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan.

“Our target is 500 people’s schools by 2029. God willing, it will be achieved,” Prabowo said, according to a broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel.

The president said the government ultimately aims for each school to accommodate around 1,000 students. With a total of 500 schools, this would allow up to 500,000 students to enroll nationwide.

“Until today, the number of students enrolled in people’s schools has reached 15,000,” Prabowo said. “I have received reports that by the end of this year, it could reach 30,000. But our final target is for each people’s school to have 1,000 students.”

The first phase of the program includes 166 schools, many of which operate under a boarding school or dormitory-based system. These schools began operating gradually between July and early October 2025.

According to government data, the 166 schools currently serve 15,954 students and employ 2,218 teachers, supported by 4,889 education personnel. The government plans to continue the program with a second phase of construction at 104 additional locations.

In the second phase, the people’s schools are designed to accommodate 112,320 students through 3,744 study groups, significantly expanding the program’s reach, particularly in underserved regions.

Beyond education, Prabowo linked the initiative to his broader social agenda, including his pledge to eradicate extreme poverty in Indonesia by 2029.

During the inauguration ceremony, he said the government aims to improve the welfare of citizens in the lowest income brackets.

“My aspiration at the end of my term in 2029 is to change the fate of those living in extreme poverty, especially those in deciles 1 and 2,” Prabowo said, referring to the lowest socioeconomic groups in national welfare data.

“We can eliminate extreme poverty in Indonesia.”

Prabowo, who is also chair of the Gerindra Party, expressed confidence that his administration could meet these targets. He said the government had already recorded a number of achievements since taking office in October 2024.

“We are not boasting or bragging, but we must be proud of our achievements,” he said. “We must be proud of the evidence.”

Read: Prabowo Aims for Indonesia's Energy Independence in 5 Years

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