Education 'should be priority in Irian'<\/p>\n
JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): When Irian Jaya eventually receives
\nits special autonomy status, it will have to focus on education
\nto improve human resources, an education expert says.<\/p>\n
Education in Irian Jaya, where a large proportion of its
\npopulation lives in outlying areas, has suffered from neglect.<\/p>\n
Frans Alexander Wospakrik, rector of the Cenderawasih
\nUniversity in Jayapura, said on Monday that the provincial
\nadministration should raise its education budget from 10 percent
\nto 20 percent of its revenue, financed by the exploitation of its
\nnatural resources.<\/p>\n
Twenty percent of the budget, or about Rp 1.5 trillion, is
\nneeded to intensify education and training programs when Irian
\nJaya becomes autonomous in 10 years time,\" Wospakrik said in a
\nmeeting with the House of Representatives' special committee for
\nthe Papua autonomy bill.<\/p>\n
He reckoned that the special autonomy would be
\ncounterproductive and create new problems for local people if the
\ndevelopment of human resources continued to be neglected.<\/p>\n
\"Of around 2.5 million Papuan (native Irian) people, only 10
\npercent have elementary and high school educational backgrounds
\nand only one percent are college graduates. The majority of the
\npeople live according to their traditional culture in isolated
\nareas throughout the province,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Irian Jaya has lagged far behind other provinces in human
\nresources development. There has been concern that the eastern-
\nmost province will not be able catch up with other provinces if
\neducation remains low on the government's priority.<\/p>\n
Wospakrik called on the government to build more elementary
\nand high schools in remote areas and develop the existing
\nuniversities.<\/p>\n
Irian Jaya has two state universities -- one in Jayapura and
\nthe other in Manokwari, and more than 20 private higher-learning
\ninstitutes, which offer programs only in social sciences.<\/p>\n
Cenderawasih University, established in 1960, has yet to open
\nmedical, mining or farming schools -- skills that are highly in
\ndemand in the natural resources-rich territory.<\/p>\n
\"The university, which is almost 40 years old, has produced
\nonly 11,000 graduates in the social sciences and only 60 percent
\nof those are Papuan,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Financial problems have precluded the sending of its graduates
\nto take up postgraduate or PhD programs in other provinces or
\noverseas, and the carrying out of its community development
\nprogram in remote areas in the province.<\/p>\n
Wospakrik pointed out that autonomy would not only give the
\nIrian administration a freer hand to develop the province but
\nalso restore people's trust in the spirit of the unitary state of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Native Irianese grouped in the Free Papua Movement have been
\nfighting for an independent state. Wospakrik said that Irianese
\nhad suffered injustice in all aspects of life.<\/p>\n
\"The special autonomy status is expected to empower the people
\nso that they will actively participate in development programs to
\nimprove their social welfare,\" Wospakrik said. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/education-should-be-priority-in-irian-1447893297",
"image": ""
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