East Kalimantan Provincial Government Allocates Rp220 Billion for 2026 Gratispol Programme
Samarinda (ANTARA) - The East Kalimantan Provincial Government (Pemprov Kaltim) has, by March 2026, disbursed education assistance totalling Rp220.65 billion through the Gratispol programme to dozens of universities that have established strategic partnerships with the local government.
Head of the Bureau of People’s Welfare (Kesra) of Pemprov Kaltim, Dasmiah, stated in Samarinda on Sunday that all administrative processes and fund transfers to the universities’ accounts have been completed in stages.
“Alhamdulillah, the funds have been fully transferred to the respective campus accounts. The second phase disbursement was completed on 17 March 2026,” Dasmiah said.
She explained that the assistance was disbursed in two major waves to ensure the accuracy of recipient data.
For the second phase on 17 March 2026, funds amounting to Rp117.55 billion were disbursed to 27,548 students spread across 51 higher education institutions, comprising 7 public universities and 44 private universities.
Cumulatively, the total number of beneficiaries for this period reached 48,676 students. This swift action is expected to immediately alleviate the burden of tuition fees for students in the midst of the ongoing academic year.
East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas’ud affirmed that the Gratispol programme is not merely ordinary social assistance but a long-term investment instrument to produce competitive human resources (HR).
Despite global fiscal pressures, Pemprov Kaltim continues to prioritise education. Beyond the Rp220 billion figure, Pemprov Kaltim targets a total of 158,981 students for the Gratispol programme throughout 2026.
To support this vision, a total budget of Rp1.377 trillion has been prepared. Timely disbursements to the universities are expected not only to guarantee the continuity of students’ studies but also to enhance the operational quality of higher education institutions in East Kalimantan in producing high-quality graduates.