People's Schools and the Dreams of Children from Underprivileged Families to "Move Up a Class"

The People's School Program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto is good news for children from underprivileged families in Lampung. Through the free education program, they have the hope of realizing their dreams and have the opportunity to "move up a class".

On Monday morning (12/5/2025), Husnul Mubarok Arafa (15) prepared to welcome the arrival of Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf in front of his house. The student of SMP Negeri 44 Bandar Lampung was wearing a blue and white uniform along with a black cap. Not many smiles graced his lips.

Rafa, as he is commonly called, will graduate from junior high school this year. He is one of the prospective students who will continue his education at the senior high school level at Sekolah Rakyat. On that day, Saifullah, along with the Deputy Governor of Lampung Jihan Nurlela and the Mayor of Bandar Lampung Eva Dwiana, visited Rafa's family home. They conversed inside the small house.

All this time, Rafa has been raised by his aunt, Meliana (37). His mother passed away from typhus when Rafa was only five years old. Meanwhile, his father left him without a word or any news. His older brother has just graduated from vocational school and is still struggling to find a job.

Together with Meliana, Rafa lives in a semi-permanent house with walls and a roof made of zinc in Gunung Sulah Village, Way Halim District, Bandar Lampung City. The house was built on a rented plot of land measuring 4 x 6 meters. Right in front of their house, there are four graves belonging to the family of the landowner.

"We are not afraid of living in front of a cemetery, we are more afraid of life's trials. It feels like it never stops," said Meliana while holding back tears.

In addition to the makeshift house owned by the Meliana family, there are also around 20 similar makeshift houses in the area. The piles of scrap materials in front of the makeshift houses make the settlement appear dilapidated.

Some individuals choose to stay because the land rental costs there are relatively low, only IDR 1.5 million per year. With uncertain income, they do not have enough money to purchase decent housing, even subsidized homes.

Meliana shared that her biological mother, who is also Rafa's grandmother, has just passed away due to heart disease. At the same time, she also has to frequently attend to her younger sibling who is being treated in the hospital for pneumonia.

Meliana also has the responsibility of two children who are still in elementary school. Her husband works as a scrap laborer, while she works as a cracker roaster. "I only work when there are orders. The pay is only Rp 20,000 - Rp 30,000 per day," she said.

Never mind thinking about school fees for her two children and nephew, Meliana's family is still very short of money just for daily food.

Initially, Meliana was uncertain whether she could assist Rafa in continuing his education to the high school level. However, a few days ago, good news arrived from the local neighborhood head and the support staff from the Lampung Provincial Social Service.

Rafa received an offer to continue his education at the People's School. For him, continuing his education at the People's School and living in the dormitory is certainly far better than dropping out of school.

"We are very grateful that Rafa can continue his high school education at Sekolah Rakyat. He can attend school for free and stay in a more decent dormitory. Meals and drinks are also reportedly free," said Meliana.

Rafa also expressed his happiness in being able to continue his education up to the high school level. In fact, the teenager has a dream of pursuing higher education and realizing his ambition of becoming a doctor.

The departure of his mother and grandmother due to illness is a strong reason why Rafa is eager to become a healthcare worker. "I want to be a doctor so I can help heal others," said Rafa.

Another student, Rizki Mubarok (15), is also pleased to receive an offer to continue high school at Sekolah Rakyat. With access to free education, he has hope for a better future and to improve his family's economic status.

"I want to go to the highest level of school and have a brighter future," he said.

On a daily basis, Rizki's father works as an online motorcycle taxi driver. Meanwhile, his mother works as a cleaning staff at a mall in Bandar Lampung.

Vera Oktavia (35), the mother of Rizki, stated that she initially doubted whether she could finance her child's education up to the high school level. She considered the offer to continue education at Sekolah Rakyat as the best path for Rizki.

"If he has to live in a dormitory to get a better education, we as a family will support him," he said.

We are very grateful that Rafa can continue his high school education at Sekolah Rakyat. He can attend school for free and stay in a more suitable dormitory. Meals and drinks are also reportedly free.

The arrival of Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf in Lampung was to assess the readiness of facilities and visit prospective students of the People's School. The location designated for the People's School in Lampung is the Building of the Human Resource Development Agency (BPSDM) of Lampung Province, located in Hajimena Village, Natar District, South Lampung Regency.

The location is equipped with several facilities, including classrooms, 80 units of rooms or dormitories, a meeting hall, practical rooms, and a place of worship. "Today we are directly inspecting the prospective venue for the People's School in Lampung for the 2025/2026 academic year," said Saifullah during the visit.

Although the new academic year is only two months away, Saifullah is optimistic that the government can soon organize the People's School for the 2025/2026 academic year. In the near future, the Ministry of Public Works will conduct an assessment of the feasibility of the buildings and facilities at the BPSDM.

In addition to preparing facilities for the People's School, the government is also in the process of selecting prospective students and teachers for the People's School in Lampung. All prospective students of the People's School must be included in the National Socio-Economic Single Data (DTSEN) and fall within the first decile or the group of households with the lowest welfare level or extreme poverty.

In addition to undergoing administrative processes and field surveys, prospective students must also undergo health tests. Subsequently, they will be officially designated as students of the People's School.

Learning at the People's School in Lampung will commence in July 2025. The curriculum for the People's School is developed by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

Nationally, there are currently around 65 locations ready to implement the People's School program. The People's Schools set to open this year will range from elementary to junior high and senior high levels.

The establishment of people's schools is part of the effort to alleviate the population from poverty. Therefore, the Ministry of Social Affairs is also preparing the organization of people's schools in various regions, including in Lampung.

According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Lampung, in the year 2024, the number of poor residents in Lampung is recorded at 941,230 individuals. This figure represents a decrease compared to the year 2023, which recorded a total of 970,670 individuals.

In the long term, the government will also strive to provide educational scholarships for students who have graduated from high school and wish to continue to higher education. Meanwhile, students who wish to enter the workforce immediately after graduating from high school will also be assisted in finding employment.

Saifullah added that the government also plans to prepare a decent housing program for the families of students from the People's School. Through this program, not only can children from poor families improve their lives, but their families are also expected to obtain more suitable housing.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor of Lampung, Jihan Nurlela, stated that this year, they plan to have around four student learning groups at the high school level, or approximately 100 students, who will become students of the People's School. The Lampung provincial government is also preparing a vacant land area of 10 hectares in the Kota Baru area, South Lampung, for the construction of the People's School.

Amidst the pros and cons surrounding this program, the people's school offers hope for children from underprivileged families who are eager to continue their education to a higher level.