Papua plans free education
Papua plans free education
R.K. Nugroho, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura
All students attending kindergarten, elementary school, junior
high school and high school in Irian Jaya will be able to enjoy
free education beginning this year as part of the efforts to
improve the human resources of the country's easternmost
province.
The provincial administration has earmarked just under Rp 22
billion in this year's budget to cover the tuition fees of
students at state and private schools.
The plan is being deliberated by the Irian Jaya provincial
legislative council, and is expected to be approved within two
weeks. The free-education-for-Papuans plan reportedly has the
support of all of the legislators.
"A preliminary meeting between the council and related
agencies to discuss the budget for free tuition fees went
smoothly," senior legislator Frans Koromat told The Jakarta Post
on the sidelines of the meeting on Friday.
Discussion of the plan will continue on Monday.
Frans said the province's education and teaching office, which
would be in charge of implementing the plan, will also provide
more than Rp 3.8 billion in assistance for students from low-
income families.
The extra funds, also allocated in the 2002 budget, will be
channeled through state and private schools, Koromat added.
"The planned free education is aimed for both indigenous
Papuans and migrants living in the province," the head of the
Irian Jaya education and teaching office, Jry Haurissa, told the
Post.
But after 2002 the free education program will only apply to
Papuans, while such privileges for migrants will be drawn up in
special regional regulations, he said.
"The move is meant to curb a possible influx of people from
outside Papua who want to study in the region," Haurissa said.
He said the local government hoped the free education program
would encourage students to study harder and more diligently.
The Rp 22 billion for the program is part of the Rp 380
billion allotted by the Irian Jaya administration in the Rp 1.9
trillion budget for the improvement of the province's human
resources.
The program is part of the wide-ranging autonomy law being
implemented in the troubled, but resource-rich province, whose
human resources are seen as poor and backward compared to other
regions, especially Java.
The special autonomy law took effect in the country's long-
neglected easternmost province, on the western half of New Guinea
island, on Jan. 1.
It was granted last year in an effort to appease widespread
agitation for independence, after more than three decades of
harsh military-enforced rule.
Under the generous law, Papua keeps up to 80 percent of
revenue from the exploitation of rich local resources, is allowed
to change its name from Irian Jaya to Papua, and can adopt a
provincial flag in addition to the national flag.
Meanwhile, apart from maintaining security in the remote town
of Wamena in Jayawijaya regency, local military troops have also
served as teachers since a bloody riot killed at least 11 people
there on Oct. 6, 2000.
The violence, in which pro-independence Papuans attacked
migrants, forced hundreds of teachers to abandon the town and
flee Irian Jaya.
The deployment of troops to tackle the problem of a lack of
teachers in Wamena was approved by the Trikora Military Command,
based in the province.