Mimika, Central Papua — The Sa Noken Research Team revealed that the Sekolah Rakyat (People’s School) program has been positively received by the majority of the community in Mimika Regency. This finding was presented during a meeting with Commission III of the Mimika Regency Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) to submit the results of their study on the program, which was initiated by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, through the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, on Thursday (31/7/2025).
The Sekolah Rakyat program is designed to provide community-based informal education access for those marginalized from formal education. The study, led by Hefron Tabuni, was conducted in-depth from June 12 to July 28, 2025, involving thousands of residents as the main beneficiaries.
A total of 1,000 questionnaires were distributed to various community groups, including university students, literacy activists, youth leaders, and underprivileged residents. Of these, 853 questionnaires were successfully collected, with 823 respondents giving positive feedback on the presence of Sekolah Rakyat in Mimika.
“Sekolah Rakyat is a tangible manifestation of the state’s commitment to grassroots communities. However, periodic evaluations are still necessary to ensure its implementation and acceptance on the ground. This study represents the contribution of the young people in the Sa Noken Team, who went directly to listen to the aspirations of the people,” said Hefron.
Support also came from Member of Commission III of the Mimika Regency DPRD, Rampeani Rachman. He noted that Sekolah Rakyat not only addresses educational needs but also contributes to improving the economic conditions of the community.
“Children from underprivileged families now have better access to education, while their families also receive economic support. I hope this program will help reduce poverty rates in Mimika,” he emphasized.
