Jakarta. Gubernatorial candidate Ridwan Kamil pledged on Sunday to provide free education for students at private schools from elementary through high school if elected next month. His campaign platform also includes a promise to create 1 million new jobs over the next five years.

While former Governor Anies Baswedan’s administration introduced free education at state schools, extending this benefit to private schools is an unprecedented move and sets Ridwan’s campaign apart from others.

“We are committed to making education free at private elementary, middle, and high schools, starting next year,” Ridwan said during a debate in North Jakarta.

The former West Java governor also pledged free access to BPJS, the government’s health insurance scheme, for low-income families in Jakarta, noting that approximately 10 percent of Jakarta residents currently lack health coverage.

To distinguish his platform further, Ridwan vowed to allocate an annual fund of Rp 1 billion to every neighborhood administrative unit, benefiting small communities across the city.

Ridwan outlined a detailed job creation plan under his leadership, targeting 600,000 new positions in the formal sector, 300,000 new opportunities in small and medium enterprises, and an additional 100,000 jobs in labor-intensive industries.

The debate, which took place exactly one month before the election, focused on economic and social welfare.

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