Manokwari Regency Allocates Rp46 Billion for Free Education
The Manokwari Regency Government, West Papua, has allocated a budget of approximately Rp46 billion for the implementation of free education programmes as part of an effort to enhance the quality of human resources (SDM).
Speaking in Manokwari on Saturday, the Regent of Manokwari, Hermus Indou, stated that education is a long-term human resource investment that requires the government to provide easy, fair, and equitable access for every generation. “No child in Manokwari should lose their future because their parents cannot afford the costs,” he said.
He noted that while the constitution establishes education as a fundamental right for every citizen, implementation has not been maximised due to various factors, including the financial limitations of individual families. Consequently, the local government has formulated a policy intended to allow all young people to access education from early childhood, primary, and secondary levels through to higher education without being burdened by costs.
“If the government does not [provide free education], then the government is violating the constitution and infringing upon the rights of children who wish to attend school,” said Hermende.
The local government, he added, views free education not merely as the removal of school fees, but as an affirmative policy to expand access while simultaneously guaranteeing the sustainability of quality within the education sector.
The implementation of the programme will be evaluated periodically to measure its effectiveness and the achievement of its objectives, particularly in increasing the school participation rate (APS) across all age groups in Manokwari. “Every graduate must be 100 per cent able to proceed to the next level of education. If only 80 per cent continue, then the fulfilment of educational rights is not yet complete,” Indou remarked. He also emphasised that those in need of assistance must be served and that data must be updated regularly and accurately.
The Head of the Manokwari Education Office, Pardjiyanti, explained that the technical implementation of the free education programme refers to Regional Regulation (Perda) Number 8 of 2025 and Regent Regulation (Perbup) Number 87 of 2025.
The programme encompasses scholarships for students from primary to senior high school, monthly savings for PAUD/TKK (early childhood education) of Rp125,000 per student, higher education scholarships, assistance for four types of school uniforms based on student numbers in each school, and the Manokwari regional school operational assistance (BOS).
“The Manokwari Pintar scholarships include Rp1 million per student for primary school, Rp1.146 million for junior high, and Rp1.2 million for senior high. For higher education, scholarships include Rp7.5 million for general undergraduate degrees, Rp50 million for medicine, Rp20 million for Master’s degrees, and Rp75 million for Doctoral degrees,” said Pardjiyanti.
She explained that the Manokwari regional BOS, or Bosdama, aims to accommodate activities not covered by the regular BOS budget, with allocations adjusted according to the number of students enrolled in the new academic year. Bosdama also funds 350 honorary teachers from early childhood units through to senior high/vocational schools to address the shortage of educators in the Manokwari region. Higher education scholarships, particularly for those studying outside Manokwari, also include accommodation costs.