6,000 students to get scholarships

6,000 students to get scholarships

JAKARTA (JP): The Orangtua Bimbing Terpadu (Foster Parent
Integrated Program) plans to award scholarships to 6,000 students
nationwide this year, a spokesperson said yesterday.

Nurjayanti Zain said the target of the program, known by its
Indonesian acronym of ORBIT, was double last year's 3,000
recipients. This year's program will prioritize elementary and
junior high school students.

The funding, derived from donations to the Amal Abadi
Foundation, would be also allocated to students enrolled in
senior high schools, universities and various apprenticeship
programs, Nurjayanti said.

At present, she said, 19 million Indonesian children needed
financial assistance to continue their education.

She also said the program, pioneered by the Foundation's
executive head Dr. Marwah Daud Ibrahim and inaugurated by
President Soeharto in Dec. 1995, aimed to support the educational
goals of the many capable but underprivileged children throughout
Indonesia's 27 provinces.

Under the program, the children's school fees are distributed
monthly through Simpul, a five person unit at district or village
level. But the public and private sectors could also help the
students, she said.

Nurjayanti said the foundation maintained independent
coordinators at the regional and individual levels to select
prospective recipients, as well as mentors to monitor the
children's progress.

Nurjayanti said the selected students residing in Jakarta,
Bekasi and Tangerag got their monthly school fees through the
Jakarta office. Those living elsewhere get their fees through the
mail.

The amount ranges from Rp 25,000 (US$10.5) for students in
elementary and junior high schools, to Rp 30,000 in senior high
school, to Rp 55,000 in university, college and apprenticeship
programs.

Nurjayanti said that aside from raising funds for the
scholarship program, the foundation offered guidance and
counseling to the recipients and committed individuals who would
like to participate in the program.

In addition, the foundation maintains an information network
on scholarship programs in cooperation with other countries in
the Middle East, with the United States, the United Kingdom,
Australia, Japan and Canada.

Nurjayanti was speaking at a press conference, accompanied by
a representative of the Canadian Education center, Wulan
Sumantri, who announced Canada's program of higher education
opportunities for Indonesian students.

Wulan said an education fair would be opened for the first
time here on Jan. 31, and would last through to Feb. 2. (01)