Science Olympians may win scholarships
Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The government is mulling the provision of one-year scholarships for silver and bronze medal winners of the National Science Olympics who lack funds to continue their studies at the university.
Ministry of National Education Director General of Elementary and Secondary Education Indra Djati Sidi said on Wednesday that the government was formulating the criteria and budget for the scholarships, which would comprise admission as well as tuition fees and cost of living allowance for the first year of study.
Indra said the students would be encouraged to seek scholarships themselves to cover the remaining costs of their studies.
"I hope by next year the ministry will be able to provide scholarships for the silver and bronze medalists," said Indra.
Gold medalists in the annual national scientific event last year received scholarships from the Sampoerna Foundation, a non- governmental organization that awards scholarships to bright, but poor students.
The initial National Science Olympics was held in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, in 2003; it saw 790 students from across the country vie for 25 gold, 25 silver and 25 bronze medals in five majors: mathematics, biology, chemistry, computer science and English.
This year's event will be held in Riau, Pekanbaru, from Aug. 24 through Aug. 29, with 840 students participating.
Indra said the government's decision to award scholarships for the silver and bronze medalists came after Mulyono -- who won a bronze at the International Biology Olympics in Brisbane, Australia, in July -- faced difficulties in entering Gadjah Mada University in his hometown, Yogyakarta, due to financial problems. Mulyono was later enrolled at the Bandung Institute of Technology.
The government has allocated around Rp 1.5 trillion (US$163 million) in scholarships for 9.1 million elementary and junior high school students for fiscal year 2005, says Indra.
The Sampoerna Foundation and the ministry signed an agreement on Wednesday which stipulates that the former would provide Rp 50 million in scholarships for each of 25 gold medalists in the upcoming National Science Olympics.
Under the agreement the gold medalists will be able to apply for seven state universities: University of Indonesia, Bogor Institute of Agriculture, Bandung Institute of Technology, Padjadjaran University, Gadjah Mada University, Airlangga University and the Surabaya Institute of Technology.
Foundation operation and finance director Elan Merdy said the scholarships would cover student tuition fees, plus monthly living cost allowance for eight semesters.
"The amount is adjustable as we understand that it may be inappropriate for those who are still in their first or second year of senior high school. The tuition fees may increase once they are ready for university," said Elan.