Forty-two Banjarmasin children attend Sekolah Rakyat

Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - The City Government of Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, has sent tens of children from underprivileged families to participate in Sekolah Rakyat (People's School) education program in 2025.

Head of Banjarmasin Social Affairs Office Nuryadi here on Tuesday said precisely 42 children were sent to attend the central government's Sekolah Rakyat free program.

There two locations of Sekolah Rakyat they attended, one at the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation's Budi Luhur Center, Landasan Ulin, and the other at Center of Social Welfare Education and Training on Jalan Trikora. Both are in Banjarbaru.

"A total 39 children were sent to Budi Luhur Center and three children to the Center for Social Welfare Education and Training," he said.

All of the children participating in the program were sent to the two locations on July 14, 2025.

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The children's deployment was facilitated by the Banjarmasin Social Office as part of social assistance program for children from poor and extremely poor families.

Nuryadi said that Sekolah Rakyat's learning concept is boarding school-style. Students not only study in the classroom, but also live in dormitories provided by the school.

"They have to stay there. They attend regular school as usual, the only difference is they are housed in dormitories run by the Ministry of Social Affairs, the provincial and district/city government," he said.

Nuryadi expounded that Sekolah Rakyat prioritizes character education. "So building character, habits and other things are provided in Sekolah Rakyat curriculum," he said.

For the first two months, they will be guided with character education. Parents are not allowed to visit them during this time to allow them to adjust to learning environment.

Nuryadi said, the Banjarmasin City Government strongly supports the Sekolah Rakyat program initiated by the Presiden Prabowo Subianto administration, as it is crucial for breaking the cycle of chindren dropping out of school.