The Manokwari Regency Government, West Papua, has allocated a budget\nof approximately Rp46 billion for the implementation of free education\nprogrammes as part of an effort to enhance the quality of human\nresources (SDM).<\/p>\n
Speaking in Manokwari on Saturday, the Regent of Manokwari, Hermus\nIndou, stated that education is a long-term human resource investment\nthat requires the government to provide easy, fair, and equitable access\nfor every generation. \u201cNo child in Manokwari should lose their future\nbecause their parents cannot afford the costs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He noted that while the constitution establishes education as a\nfundamental right for every citizen, implementation has not been\nmaximised due to various factors, including the financial limitations of\nindividual families. Consequently, the local government has formulated a\npolicy intended to allow all young people to access education from early\nchildhood, primary, and secondary levels through to higher education\nwithout being burdened by costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the government does not [provide free education], then the\ngovernment is violating the constitution and infringing upon the rights\nof children who wish to attend school,\u201d said Hermende.<\/p>\n
The local government, he added, views free education not merely as\nthe removal of school fees, but as an affirmative policy to expand\naccess while simultaneously guaranteeing the sustainability of quality\nwithin the education sector.<\/p>\n
The implementation of the programme will be evaluated periodically to\nmeasure its effectiveness and the achievement of its objectives,\nparticularly in increasing the school participation rate (APS) across\nall age groups in Manokwari. \u201cEvery graduate must be 100 per cent able\nto proceed to the next level of education. If only 80 per cent continue,\nthen the fulfilment of educational rights is not yet complete,\u201d Indou\nremarked. He also emphasised that those in need of assistance must be\nserved and that data must be updated regularly and accurately.<\/p>\n
The Head of the Manokwari Education Office, Pardjiyanti, explained\nthat the technical implementation of the free education programme refers\nto Regional Regulation (Perda) Number 8 of 2025 and Regent Regulation\n(Perbup) Number 87 of 2025.<\/p>\n
The programme encompasses scholarships for students from primary to\nsenior high school, monthly savings for PAUD\/TKK (early childhood\neducation) of Rp125,000 per student, higher education scholarships,\nassistance for four types of school uniforms based on student numbers in\neach school, and the Manokwari regional school operational assistance\n(BOS).<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Manokwari Pintar scholarships include Rp1 million per student\nfor primary school, Rp1.146 million for junior high, and Rp1.2 million\nfor senior high. For higher education, scholarships include Rp7.5\nmillion for general undergraduate degrees, Rp50 million for medicine,\nRp20 million for Master\u2019s degrees, and Rp75 million for Doctoral\ndegrees,\u201d said Pardjiyanti.<\/p>\n
She explained that the Manokwari regional BOS, or Bosdama, aims to\naccommodate activities not covered by the regular BOS budget, with\nallocations adjusted according to the number of students enrolled in the\nnew academic year. Bosdama also funds 350 honorary teachers from early\nchildhood units through to senior high\/vocational schools to address the\nshortage of educators in the Manokwari region. Higher education\nscholarships, particularly for those studying outside Manokwari, also\ninclude accommodation costs.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/manokwari-regency-allocates-rp46-billion-for-free-education-1791010669", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }