Jakarta, MINA – The Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) and the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) have joined forces to support the Sekolah Rakyat (Community Schools) program and alleviate poverty. This collaboration was formally established through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by both ministries.
“We are here to strengthen coordination and cooperation, particularly in alleviating poverty and developing Sekolah Rakyat,” said Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf (Gus Ipul) at the Ministry of Religious Affairs office in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Gus Ipul emphasized that the synergy between Kemensos and Kemenag is crucial, as Kemensos’ mission aligns with Article 34 of the 1945 Constitution, which mandates that the state cares for the poor and abondoned children. He also highlighted the importance of incorporating spiritual approach in addressing poverty, as outlined in Law No. 13 of 2011 on the Handling of the Poor, which includes mental, spiritual, and skills development as key empowerment strategies.
“A critical but often overlooked point is Article 1, Paragraph 1 of Law No. 11 of 2009 on Social Welfare, which states that social welfare covers material, spiritual, and social needs. Strengthening the spiritual aspect is essential, and that is why we are partnering with Kemenag,” Gus Ipul explained.
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Beyond social welfare, the partnership also includes plans to establish Sekolah Rakyat across Indonesia, aimed at providing education for children from underprivileged families.
Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar underscored the importance of cross-sector collaboration in breaking the cycle of poverty, particularly through education. He pointed out that Kemenag oversees approximately 42,000 madrasahs (Islamic School), which could be optimized as part of the Sekolah Rakyat program, a key government priority.
“Madrasahs have long functioned as Sekolah Rakyat in practice. Of the 42,000 existing madrasahs, 60% are managed by local communities and still require further development through this program,” said Nasaruddin.
He stressed that madrasahs play a vital role in society and should serve as the foundation for Sekolah Rakyat. “These madrasahs must be supported and empowered to make a greater impact on educating children from low-income families,” he added.
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Following the MoU signing, technical teams from both ministries will work together to implement poverty alleviation strategies through education, with Sekolah Rakyat as a key initiative.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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