Papua's Baznas Urges Residents to Increase Zakat to Achieve Equitable Education

Jayapura (ANTARA) - The National Zakat Agency (Baznas) of Papua Province is urging local residents to increase their zakat contributions as a collective effort to achieve equitable education across the region.

Baznas Papua Province chairman Merza Edy Nadzari said in Jayapura on Tuesday that his organisation is committed to supporting education as a primary pillar of poverty alleviation.

“Zakat, infaq, and sadaqah are powerful instruments for building prosperity. We therefore call on the public to actively fulfil their zakat obligations so that the funds collected can be managed professionally and distributed for the benefit of the ummah,” he said.

According to Merza, this initiative represents a tangible effort by Baznas through its Papua Cerdas (Smart Papua) programme, which aims to prevent students from dropping out of school due to financial constraints.

“In this way, we can help ensure children are not forced to leave school because of financial problems, so that Papua’s younger generation can access quality education,” he said.

He added that by increasing public participation in paying zakat, it is hoped that more equitable prosperity can be achieved in Papua.

“Baznas is ready to serve as a platform for managing these funds for the benefit of the ummah,” he said.

He further noted that his organisation has distributed first-phase scholarship assistance to 1,070 students across all levels of education in the region, with the aim of helping learners from disadvantaged families continue their studies.