Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to Involve Students in Bandung's Waste Management Programme

Bandung (ANTARA) - The Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Brian Yuliarto, has stated that he is ready to involve students through the ‘Kuliah Kerja Nyata’ (KKN) programme to help with waste management in the city of Bandung through collaboration between universities and local government.

“Universities will map out the needs for composting, maggotisation, biodigesters, RDF, and the supply chain. After that, we will propose it to the central government, so it does not burden the local budget,” said Minister Brian in Bandung on Wednesday.

The Minister believes that Bandung has a strong foundation in the form of a large network of universities and a large number of students. Therefore, universities will be involved from the beginning, starting with mapping infrastructure needs, conducting business model studies, educating the public, and deploying students through the KKN programme.

He added that if the waste management model in Bandung works effectively, a similar approach could be implemented in various other cities in Indonesia starting next year.

“We will make Bandung a national pilot project. This year, we will work together,” said the Minister. The programme is designed to involve elements from universities, the central government, the Bandung City Government, and the military and police for supervision, especially in the hotel, restaurant, cafe and market sectors.

In addition to supervision, the government is also preparing enforcement measures accompanied by incentives for businesses that comply with waste management regulations. Previously, the central government designated five regions as pilot projects for collaborative waste management between universities and local governments, namely Bandung, Bogor, Tangerang, Purwokerto, and Yogyakarta.