Following the case of a student who committed suicide in NTT, the DPR encourages the strengthening of People's Schools for Poor Children

Illustration of the People's School (ANTARA)

Member of Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Atalia Praratya, emphasized the death of a 10-year-old child in Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, due to suicide because he was unable to buy stationery as a serious reminder that the problem of poverty and limited access to education still leaves a very heavy social impact, especially for children. He also encouraged the strengthening of people's schools as a safety net for education for children from poor families.

"This incident should be a collective reflection that poverty not only impacts the economic aspect, but also the psychological condition of children and relationships within the family," Atalia told reporters, Thursday, February 5.

As reported, a 10-year-old grade IV SD child with the initials YBR, in Jerebuu sub-district, Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara was found dead by hanging himself. Before dying, the child wrote a letter to his mother in the Bajawa local language, which contained his disappointment to his mother for being stingy, not willing to buy school supplies such as notebooks and pens. The letter also contained a farewell greeting to his mother so that she would not be sad, not cry because he was dead.

According to Atalia, the case should not be understood partially as a family problem, but rather as an illustration of social vulnerability that is still experienced by some communities, especially in areas with high poverty rates and limited basic services.

Atalia revealed, based on the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data at the beginning of 2025, the poverty rate in NTT is still in the range of 18.6 percent, far above the national average of 8.47 percent. The poverty rate in NTT is dominated by rural areas reaching 23.02 percent, compared to urban poverty which reached 8.11 percent.

On the other hand, the Golkar legislator for West Java appreciated the government's steps through the People's School (SR) Program initiated by the Ministry of Social Affairs as an effort by the state to open access to education for children from poor and extreme poor families. He hopes that this program can become a social safety net in the field of education, so that no child is hindered from learning only because of economic constraints.

"People's Schools are a very strategic state effort. However, the success of this program is very determined by the accuracy of the target, the quality of assistance, and integration with other social protection services," explained Atalia.

In addition, Atalia also assessed that there needed to be multi-party collaboration and cross-sectoral synergy between the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of PPA, the KPAI and with the regional government, the community and schools in creating a safe school space. Not only safe for teaching, but also can detect potential distress in children earlier so that there is a psychosocial approach therapy to prevent cases of suicide in children as happened in NTT.

"The state must be present not only through the physical development of schools, but also through social sensitivity, accompaniment, and real partisanship to children from families who are unable to afford it. Education is a basic right, not a burden," Atalia said.

Therefore, according to Atalia, the People's School (SR) program must be more selective in choosing locations, not only in urban areas but also in rural areas. The reason, he said, is because poverty is more common in villages than in cities.

"The selection of the location of the People's School (SR) which has been more in the city, makes the SR far from the reach of poor children who are mostly in rural areas and feel as if the child is being thrown out of the environment when they have to enter the SR in the city," he said.

With the more selective selection of the People's School location, Atalia hopes that this program can really be targeted, namely reaching the poor and extreme poor.

"Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives will continue to monitor the policy of inclusive social protection and education so that every Indonesian child, without exception, can grow, learn, and achieve a better future," he concluded.