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)