PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk or BNI reinforces its role in supporting national education equity through active involvement in the Sekolah Rakyat Program, one of the government's priority programs. This support includes strengthening the inclusive financial services ecosystem and modern, transparent, and digital-based education administration governance.
The Sekolah Rakyat Program was launched directly by President Prabowo Subianto at the Integrated People's School 9 in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, on Monday (1/12/2026). The launch was attended by the Red and White Cabinet Ministers, heads of ministries/institutions, and representatives of state-owned enterprises, including BNI Institutional Director Eko Setyo Nugroho.
In his speech, President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that the People's School Program is a strategic step by the government to ensure that every child in the nation receives a proper education, regardless of their economic background or where they live.
“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. We have realized this effort through the People's School Program. I am frankly happy and quite moved to see the real impact of this joint effort," said Prabowo.
The President considers public schools to be an important instrument in strengthening social justice and promoting equitable development in various regions. According to Prabowo, education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and creating sustainable social mobility for Indonesia's younger generation.
“We govern to improve the lives of all Indonesians, not just a handful of people. That is the purpose of governing,” Prabowo asserted.
Before the President, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf reported that by early 2026, the People's School Program will be operating in 166 locations across 34 provinces. The details include 70 locations in Java, 35 in Sumatra, 28 in Sulawesi, 13 in Kalimantan, seven in Maluku, six in Papua, and seven in Bali and Nusa Tenggara. The program serves 15,954 students with the support of 2,218 teachers and 4,889 educators.
“Everything we report is part of our efforts to follow up on the President's directive, because public schools are essentially President Prabowo's idea,” Gus Ipul confirmed.
As a strategic partner, BNI contributes to strengthening the operations of Sekolah Rakyat by providing Agen46 Mini Banks, Waste Banks, opening student accounts, and reader-based Student Cards for electronic attendance.
BNI has also prepared a system for managing the distribution of funds from the Ministry of Social Affairs to schools, teacher payroll, partner transactions (catering and laundry), and a school financial monitoring dashboard, all of which are cashless through QRIS and BNIdirect.
BNI Institutional Director Eko Setyo Nugroho emphasized that this support aims to provide inclusive financial services while promoting accountable education governance. “Through this support, BNI wants to ensure that the administration of education in public schools is modern, transparent, and efficient,” said Eko.
An example of this implementation can be seen at Sekolah Rakyat 9 Banjarbaru, which is equipped with learning and supporting facilities, such as educational buildings, a multipurpose hall, a sports hall, a prayer room, an amphitheater, and a dining hall, to support the continuous learning process.
With cross-ministerial and state-owned enterprise synergy, BNI's involvement in the Sekolah Rakyat Program is expected to accelerate equal access to education while strengthening the foundation for human resource development. Going forward, continued support from the banking sector will be key to ensuring that this program has a real and inclusive impact on the nation's future generations.