Jakarta, Sept. 19 -- The government has set a target to open and operationalize tuition-free schools in 65 more locations under the Sekolah Rakyat (People's School) program by the end of this month, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said.

"We aim to launch Sekolah Rakyat in 16 new locations within the next one or two days, followed by around 40 more at the end of September," he told the press at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Friday.

He pointed out that the government faces several challenges in expanding the education program, which targets children from economically disadvantaged families, including facility and infrastructure adequacy, teacher recruitment, and student admission.

The minister said the government ...