Southwest Papua Provincial Government Distributes Rp4.7 Billion in Education Assistance to 472 Students

Sorong (ANTARA) - The Southwest Papua Provincial Government (Pemprov PBD) has distributed education assistance worth Rp4.7 billion to 472 students spread across 11 higher education institutions as an important measure to support the improvement of human resource quality in the region. Southwest Papua Governor Elisa Kambu, in Sorong on Thursday, stated that this assistance is a local government policy to build and enhance the quality of human resources in Southwest Papua who are more competent and ready to compete. “It is clear that we want education in our region to truly be of quality, so it has become the government’s obligation to provide greater attention,” she explained. She added that the funding comes from special autonomy (Otsus) funds budgeted through the Southwest Papua Education and Culture Office for the 2026 fiscal year. The 11 campuses receiving the education funding, which will be distributed to 472 students, include Universitas Muhammadiyah Sorong (Unimuda) with Rp1.28 billion, Sekolah Tinggi Pastoral Kateketik Santo Benediktus Sorong and STIE Bukit Zaitun Sorong each with Rp110 million. Then, Universitas Kristen Papua (UKIP) Sorong and STAKN Mesias Sorong each receiving assistance worth Rp140 million. “Sekolah Tinggi Teologi GKII Sorong with Rp60 million and Universitas Victory Sorong Rp580 million,” she said. Furthermore, Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan Sorong Rp832 million, Universitas Nani Bili Nusantara Sorong Rp210 million, Unamin Sorong Rp1.03 billion, Politeknik Katolik Saint Paul Sorong Rp250 million. “Previously, we distributed this assistance directly to the beneficiaries’ accounts, but it was not utilised well by the students, so we changed the distribution mechanism through the campus institutions,” she stated. She hopes that this tuition assistance will be utilised properly for educational purposes, thereby impacting the quality of education in Southwest Papua.