Social Minister Responds to Concerns Over Discrimination Against People's School

March 28, 2025 | 08:08 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, known as Gus Ipul, asked not to compare the government's People's School, specifically for poor students, with other schools. Gus Ipul responded to the public's concerns that the People's School would create class discrimination against students from poor families. "I invite everyone to make these programs between the People's School and the existing schools complement each other, not conflict with each other. They should be mutually reinforcing," said Minister of Social Affairs Gus Ipul when contacted by Tempo via phone on Thursday, March 27, 2025.

He argued that the People's School, which will be a boarding school, is indeed needed for poor students. According to him, these children do not have the support of their communities to be part of the school system. Therefore, he believes they need to be placed in a boarding school.

"They are asked to help their parents work, to do this and that. And they are even asked to beg and so on," he said.

The People's School is a program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto for children from low-income families. The government's promise in establishing the People's School is to provide quality education for free to children from poor and extremely poor families. This school will be open for elementary, junior high, and high school levels in the form of a boarding school.

Hetifah Sjaifudian, Chairperson of House Commission X on education, said she supports this program's goals. However, she cautioned the government about the inefficiency and overlapping of policies with the People's School program.

She noted that there are several educational programs already in place under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, one of which is non-formal education, such as the Community Learning Center (PKBM). Also, schools that are established independently by non-governmental social foundations.

Hetifah also expressed concerns about the public perception of the People's School. She worries that the People's School will be seen as widening social inequality because it is specifically designed for poor students. "Thus, it stigmatizes and discriminates against students who attend the school," she said.

The National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), Ubaid Matraji, expressed concerns that the People's School would worsen the disparity and the quality of education. He believes that a school system that separates children based on social status can strengthen class or caste inequalities in society.

Furthermore, he believes that labeling the People's School as a school for poor students will contribute to the negative stigma attached to the students. "This stigma can affect students' self-confidence, academic performance, and peer and community perceptions of them," he said.

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