Sukoharjo People's School Targeted to Operate July 14

Construction of the permanent "Sekolah Rakyat" (People's School) in Sukoharjo, Central Java, is nearing its final stages, with over 90% of the project complete and an anticipated opening on July 14, 2026. This initiative aims to provide quality education, prioritizing students from the poorest backgrounds.

Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Muhaimin Iskandar, expressed satisfaction with the progress, noting that construction for all educational levels, elementary, junior high, and senior high, is approximately 90% finished. This allows for the planned opening on July 14, coinciding with the start of the new academic year. The inspection, which included Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo Priyono, covered facilities like classrooms, laboratories, and administrative offices, all of which were found to be in excellent condition.

The Sukoharjo People's School is situated on a 5.2-hectare site and is designed to house 1,080 students. This capacity is distributed across 36 learning groups: 18 for elementary school (540 students), nine for junior high (270 students), and nine for senior high (270 students). The school boasts comprehensive facilities, including classrooms, computer and physics labs, dormitories for male and female students, teacher housing, a mosque, a canteen, a dining hall, an amphitheater, a basketball court, a mini-soccer field, and a multipurpose building.

Minister Iskandar highlighted the high quality of the facilities, stating they are "very good, very suitable, and will boost the self-confidence of our younger siblings from Desil 1 [the poorest socioeconomic group]." He stressed the importance of ongoing collaboration between the Ministry of Social Affairs and the local government for the maintenance of the buildings and facilities, as the land is owned by the regional government. Deputy Minister Agus Jabo Priyono added that outreach to potential students, particularly for the elementary level, is ongoing, acknowledging that some parents still find it difficult to send their children to a boarding school.