DPD RI proposes adopting KIP Kuliah model for Papua special autonomy education fund management
The distribution model for higher education assistance sourced from special autonomy (otsus) funds needs to be reformed. Regional governments could refer to the KIP Kuliah concept.
Manokwari (ANTARA) - Chairman of Committee III of the Regional Representative Council (DPD RI) Filep Wamafma has proposed that regional governments adopt the Kartu Indonesia Pintar (KIP) Kuliah distribution system in channelling special autonomy (otsus) education funds for indigenous Papuan students.
The KIP Kuliah mechanism can serve as a reference so that education assistance sourced from otsus funds is better targeted, alongside improvements in data management, verification, recipient determination, distribution, and monitoring of student study continuity.
“The distribution model for higher education assistance sourced from otsus funds needs to be reformed. Regional governments could refer to the KIP Kuliah concept,” Filep said in a statement in Manokwari, West Papua, on Saturday.
According to him, the management principles of KIP Kuliah can be replicated by regional governments in the six provinces across Tanah Papua in building an integrated student database system that is updated periodically.
“Then, the data of prospective otsus scholarship recipients is verified jointly by universities, regional governments, and relevant institutions,” he said.
Furthermore, he said, the determination of prospective recipients after the verification process needs to use transparent indicators, including family economic conditions, academic achievement, region of origin, and living cost requirements.
The distribution of otsus education assistance directly to students can also be channelled through auditable banking mechanisms with the aim of cutting bureaucratic chains while reducing the risk of delays.
Furthermore, he said, the components of tuition fees and living costs need to be separated so that their use is more measurable, including adjustments to living costs based on the city or country where students are pursuing their education.
For students studying outside Papua or abroad, the amount of living cost assistance can be adjusted to the cost of living index of each location. Each semester is evaluated by confirming the active student status from the respective university.
“The evaluation stage serves as the basis for the continuity of assistance in accordance with academic and administrative provisions, so that otsus education funds are well targeted,” Filep said.
The management of education assistance for Papuan students abroad is not new, but the challenge is integrating all programmes into a Papuan student database system.
“The realisation of distribution must also ensure that assistance is well targeted and timely, so that economic problems do not become the reason Papuan students drop out of college,” he said.
According to him, the improvement of otsus higher education fund management aims to accommodate Papuan students who have not been recorded as KIP Kuliah recipients because it is adjusted to the state budget (APBN) capacity.
The Higher Education Service Institution (LLDikti) Region XIV recorded that the number of active students spread across various universities in Tanah Papua is approximately 60,000 people, while KIP Kuliah recipients number only around 16,000 people.
“This means there is still a gap between the need for higher education assistance and the number of available scholarship recipients,” he said.
He mentioned that the 2026 KIP Kuliah quota allocated by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek) for students in Tanah Papua is 1,700 people, the same as the 2025 quota but lower compared to 2024.
“This figure must be a matter for evaluation. Do not let Papuan students who need financial support fail to receive assistance, while affirmative budget is available,” he said.