Thekabarnews.com—Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, popularly known as Gus Ipul, clarified public scrutiny over the Sekolah Rakyat program. He stated that the Rp27 billion budget for shoe procurement is still an initial estimate and not the final purchase price.

The budget is for the purchase of school shoes for 39,345 students under the government’s Sekolah Rakyat program. This program is a national initiative to expand education access for underprivileged communities.

Current estimates quote the price at around Rp700,000 per pair. This has attracted much public attention and debate on social media over efficiency and budget transparency.

Gus Ipul responded to the criticism by saying that the government does not set the procurement cost.

He said the shoe purchases will be through an open tender process. The government expects the tender process to reduce the final price substantially through open competition.

The current number is still within the original plan.

“The ultimate price will be determined by an open auction process,” he said.

The minister said the open tender system would help ensure product quality, financial accountability, and reasonable pricing.

He said it was understandable that the public was concerned, and the Social Affairs Ministry welcomed close monitoring of the process.

As public attention grows, Gus Ipul also reiterated his commitment to transparency. He warned all ministry officials against any form of procurement manipulation.

He gave strict orders to the staff of the Social Affairs Ministry to refuse lobbying, favoritism, secret recommendations, and cooked bids during the tender process.

“There is to be no games. If there is any violation, we will be the first party to report it,” he said.

His statement is a reflection of the government’s efforts to ensure public trust. This is especially important as large-scale social assistance and education programs often come under close scrutiny over how they use the budget.

The demand for transparency in procurement has grown in public programs, observers say. This is especially true when spending involves basic student needs and large state budgets.

Observers anticipate the Sekolah Rakyat program to be a flagship initiative. It is aimed at enhancing educational access for children from low-income families.

The government expects the program to give direct benefits to students. It should also serve as an example of clean, transparent, and accountable budget management.

The public will be watching the procurement process closely. They want to see if the final result meets the government’s promise of efficiency and integrity.

For many, it is not just the price of the shoes, but also confidence in the government’s handling of public money.

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