Indonesia's Constitution Mandates State Care for Poor, Prabowo Administration Launches 'Sekolah Rakyat'

Indonesia's constitution, specifically Article 34, Paragraph 1 of the 1945 Constitution, mandates the state to provide for the poor and abandoned. This principle guides President Prabowo Subianto's administration in its commitment to ensuring basic needs, education, social justice, and equitable prosperity for all citizens.

Despite economic growth, equitable distribution remains a challenge, evidenced by the presence of beggars, street children, and the needy in major cities. The government's response includes the "Sekolah Rakyat" (SR) program, formalized by Presidential Regulation No. 120/2025, Presidential Instruction No. 8/2025, and Ministerial Regulation No. 7/2025. This initiative provides free, full-board basic and secondary education for children from impoverished families, with the state covering all costs.

However, the SR program's focus on the poorest leaves middle-class families struggling to access adequate education. This gap underscores the necessity for broader societal involvement. Many Indonesian citizens, driven by a sense of shared responsibility, establish foundations and social organizations to contribute to national education and support underprivileged children. This collective spirit is vital for nurturing the nation's future generations.