Poor students to get assistance

Poor students to get assistance

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

As many as 1,165 students of junior high schools from
economically disadvantaged families in the Bogor municipality
will receive scholarships from the West Java provincial
administration, an official says.

Head of Bogor Municipal Basic Education Agency Ade Syarief
said on Friday that each student would receive Rp 1 million
(US$104.17), which would be used to finance their education.

"Students receiving the scholarship program will hold school
IDs where it will be indicated that they are receivers of the
facility," said Ade.

The funds, however, will not be given to the students, but
to the schools where they study.

Ade said that the scholarship finds would be taken from West
Java's 2005 budget. He did not mention when the funds would be
disbursed.

The new school year begins in mid July.

"The facility will be used to pay fees, buy school uniforms,
scout uniforms, sports uniforms, books and writing tools," the
official added.

According to Ade, the program is aimed at helping students
from poor families to continue their education at least to
complete junior high school, which is in line with the country's
nine-year compulsory education policy.

Ade said while the provincial administration had a scholarship
program for junior high students, the municipal administration
would give scholarships to elementary school students from poor
families next school year.

He said each elementary student would received Rp 750,000 per
year. He did not mention how many students would receive the
scholarship.

Meanwhile, Sri Endras Iswarini of the Alternative Education
Circle for Women (Kapal Perempuan), said that such a scholarship
program for disadvantaged would not be long term in nature.

She demanded that the government provide free education for
children of low-income families.

If the government was able to prevent banks from collapsing by
using the state budget, it should also provide free education for
students from all disadvantaged families by using the state
budget, Sri argued.

"We hope both the central government and the regional
administration will be able to put aside 20 percent of their
respective annual budgets for education as stipulated in our
Constitution," she added.