KIP Kuliah, and other government efforts to ensure equal access to\nhigher education, are important tools for breaking the cycle of\npoverty.<\/p>\n
Jakarta (ANTARA) \u2014 \u201cI once thought I would have to leave ITB and get\na job to pay the rent, buy food and cover other expenses,\u201d Alif recalled\nof his time as a student at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB),\nmore than a decade ago.<\/p>\n
For some people, continuing their education at university may be\nstraightforward. But for others facing financial hardship, including\nAlif, it can be a long struggle.<\/p>\n
Alif even considered abandoning his studies to meet daily expenses\nand help his mother earn a living, after his father died not long after\nAlif had passed the university entrance selection.<\/p>\n
Alif did not give up. He kept going until he received a Kartu\nIndonesia Pintar (KIP) Kuliah scholarship, then known as the Bidikmisi\nScholarship. He made the most of the opportunity by studying hard and\ncontinuing to develop himself.<\/p>\n
Alif is now a commissioner at Cerebrum, an education technology\nstart-up platform he developed with a friend during their final year at\nuniversity. The platform offers 15 tutoring applications, covering\npreparation for entry to state universities and government-run\ncolleges.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur vision is to build learning applications for every stage of\nlife, from the womb \u2014 including guidance on a healthy pregnancy \u2014 all\nthe way to the grave. We want to build learning apps for every stage of\na person\u2019s life,\u201d Alif said.<\/p>\n
Alif also regularly shares content analysing everyday phenomena\nthrough the use of science and mathematical formulas. As a mathematics\ngraduate, he aims to make the subject more accessible and change the\nperception that it has little relevance to daily life.<\/p>\n
That content eventually led to Alif being appointed an expert staff\nmember at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the years, I\u2019ve already spent the scholarship money \u2014 it has\nbecome part of me, part of my flesh and blood \u2014 so I can\u2019t return it to\nsociety. My aim, then, is to find a way for it to benefit Indonesia. I\nhope I can be of even greater service,\u201d Alif said, his eyes brightening\nas he spoke about his future ambitions.<\/p>\n
Alif is not alone. Dinda, a final-year student in the Management\nprogramme at the Faculty of Economics and Business at UIN Syarif\nHidayatullah Jakarta, has a similar story of how a KIP Kuliah\nscholarship enabled her to pursue her ambitions despite financial\nconstraints.<\/p>\n
Dinda\u2019s parents earn a living selling rice and lontong sayur, and\ntheir income is only enough to cover day-to-day needs. Her parents\ninitially opposed her plans to attend university, fearing they would not\nbe able to afford the fees. But Dinda, who is from Serang, remained\ndetermined.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy motivation for applying for KIP Kuliah was to make the most of\nevery opportunity I had. Thankfully, the scholarship has helped me\nachieve things I once thought were impossible,\u201d Dinda said.<\/p>\n
During her studies, Dinda has been an active participant in\ncompetitions, particularly in literature. In 2026, she won a silver\nmedal for poetry at the SeIBA International Festival. She has also\nwritten eight novels.<\/p>\n
Dinda\u2019s achievements at university had never occurred to her mother,\ndespite Dinda being a bright child. Seeing what her daughter has\naccomplished, her mother, Anah, wept with pride.<\/p>\n
Anah said the KIP Kuliah scholarship had played a major part in her\ndaughter\u2019s achievements.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope many more students will receive scholarships like Dinda\u2019s in\nthe future,\u201d Anah said.<\/p>\n
The stories of Dinda and Alif show that economic background should\nnot prevent Indonesian children from pursuing higher education and\ndeveloping their potential.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lighting-the-future-through-equal-access-to-higher-education-1793177762", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }