People's School: Justice Or Social Segregation In Education?

JAKARTA The People's School Program for the 2025-2025 school year officially started on Monday (14/7/2025). The People's School is an educational program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto.

The government, through the Ministry of Social Affairs, has formed a People's School to target children from poor and extreme poor families based on the National Sole Social Economic Data (DTSEN). This program aims to break the chain of poverty.

Those who enter the People's School are placed in a boarding school that provides 100 percent free education for elementary, junior high, and high school levels.

However, the existence of the People's School reaps the pros and cons. This program is considered a form of social segregation in education, but another opinion says this is proof that the state is present for the group of the poor.

Yesterday, just like other schools, Public Schools spread over 63 points throughout Indonesia conducted a period of introduction to the educational unit environment (MPLS) for students, one of which was the Handayani People's School, East Jakarta. While the other 37 points will start MPLS at the end of July 2025.

A total of 100 locations for People's Schools operating throughout Indonesia in the 2025/2026 school year. Java Island is the area with the most People's Schools with 48 locations, followed by Sumatra with 22 locations, Sulawesi with 15 locations, Bali-Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan and Maluku with 4 locations and Papua with 3 locations each. The total capacity of students in this first stage reached 9,755 students.

The People's School Program is expected to be an affordable and inclusive quality education solution, as well as support equal access to education for all levels of Indonesian society.

The Central Statistics Agency noted that until June 25, 2025, there were around 422,000 school-age children who came from extreme poor families or the decile 1 category did not go to school or dropped out of school.

Education observer Darmaningtyas appreciates the People's School program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto, although until now he is aware of a warm discussion on the governance of the program.

According to Darmaningtyas, the People's School actually answered his anxiety, and maybe other people, about the role of the state in terms of education for the poor.

"This is the answer that the state is here for our poor brothers," said Darmaningtyas.

"Putting them in boarding schools, under special guidance, is expected to be a ladder up the level to the vertical. So far, it is related to poverty, so people's schools are expected to be free from poverty," he added.

Although the government insists that the People's School program was created to help people get out of poverty, education observer from the University of Indonesian Education (UPI) Itje Chodidjah sees otherwise. Itje emphasized that the People's School program was a form of social segregation.

"That you are an extreme poor people, you have to be separated from school. That's a big psychological impact on the child's psyche," said Itje.

He also highlighted the concept of dormitories that require children to separate from their parents at a young age, then unite with children who have the same economic background.

Psychologically, adapting parenting in a completely new environment, he continued, could potentially trigger stress in children.

"This is rash. Building a school in a hurry is like building a bridge. Building a school builds a human civilization. I question who is responsible for their education, are these people who are used to managing school boarding?"

In addition, Itje Chodidjah also questioned the involvement of the TNI to form discipline.

"Who says and can prove that there is discipline. They are separated from their families, grouped with other poor children, then those who are handed over are not people who take care of school for children, let alone dormitories for children," explained Itje.

"They are human beings. How big is the impact of parenting in the dormitories for these children," he added.

Meanwhile, Ubaid Matraji, the National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), said that the People's School program, especially with the discourse of Garuda's Superior School, was reminded again by education policies in the colonial era.

"We are already independent, why is the caste system and the seggregation of the colonial era, we practice and re-plant in schools, not dangerous? We already have Article 31 of the 1945 Constitution which equalizes the rights of all Indonesian children, but why do you have an idea to provide discriminatory services based on caste and achievements?" Ubaid told VOI.

In addition, the People's School also raises negative labelization and stigma for students studying there.

They must be considered 'second grade' or not as good as students in excellent schools. This stigma can affect students' confidence and academic achievements, as well as the perception of peers and society towards them. This stigmatization will strengthen stereotypes and harmful biases, and further marginalize groups of poor children who are already vulnerable and accelerate the cycle of discrimination," he explained.

According to Ubaid, equitable education can be achieved by strengthening existing public schools, ensuring their quality is equal, and eliminating discriminatory practices.

"The true solution lies in strengthening an inclusive and quality national education system for all children of the nation, not in segmentation based on seemingly elitist social status," said Ubaid again.