Govt scholarships planned for science Olympics winners
Govt scholarships planned for science Olympics winners
Dewi Santoso
The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The government is mulling the provision of one-year scholarships
for silver and bronze medal winners of the National Science
Olympics who lack funds to continue their studies at the
university.
Ministry of National Education Director General of Elementary
and Secondary Education Indra Djati Sidi said on Wednesday that
the government was formulating the criteria and budget for the
scholarships, which would comprise admission as well as tuition
fees and cost of living allowance for the first year of study.
Indra said the students would be encouraged to seek
scholarships themselves to cover the remaining costs of their
studies.
"I hope by next year the ministry will be able to provide
scholarships for the silver and bronze medalists," said Indra.
Gold medalists in the annual national scientific event last
year received scholarships from the Sampoerna Foundation, a non-
governmental organization that awards scholarships to bright, but
poor students.
The initial National Science Olympics was held in Balikpapan,
East Kalimantan, in 2003; it saw 790 students from across the
country vie for 25 gold, 25 silver and 25 bronze medals in five
majors: mathematics, biology, chemistry, computer science and
English.
This year's event will be held in Riau, Pekanbaru, from Aug.
24 through Aug. 29, with 840 students participating.
Indra said the government's decision to award scholarships for
the silver and bronze medalists came after Mulyono -- who won a
bronze at the International Biology Olympics in Brisbane,
Australia, in July -- faced difficulties in entering Gadjah Mada
University in his hometown, Yogyakarta, due to financial
problems. Mulyono was later enrolled at the Bandung Institute of
Technology.
The government has allocated around Rp 1.5 trillion (US$163
million) in scholarships for 9.1 million elementary and junior
high school students for fiscal year 2005, says Indra.
The Sampoerna Foundation and the ministry signed an agreement
on Wednesday which stipulates that the former would provide Rp 50
million in scholarships for each of 25 gold medalists in the
upcoming National Science Olympics.
Under the agreement the gold medalists will be able to apply
for seven state universities: University of Indonesia, Bogor
Institute of Agriculture, Bandung Institute of Technology,
Padjadjaran University, Gadjah Mada University, Airlangga
University and the Surabaya Institute of Technology.
Foundation operation and finance director Elan Merdy said the
scholarships would cover student tuition fees, plus monthly
living cost allowance for eight semesters.
"The amount is adjustable as we understand that it may be
inappropriate for those who are still in their first or second
year of senior high school. The tuition fees may increase once
they are ready for university," said Elan.