Vice President’s Visit to Timika Education Centre Head Hopes for Assistance

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka visited the dormitory-style Sentra Pendidikan Timika school in Mimika, Central Papua. During the visit, the Vice President was accompanied by Central Papua Governor Meki Fritz Nawipa, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Ribka Haluk, Central Papua Police Chief Brigadier General Jeremias Rontini, Mimika Regent Johannes Rettob, Mimika Deputy Regent Emanuel Kemong, and local government officials. The Vice President’s arrival with his entourage was warmly welcomed by teachers and students from primary to high school levels at the school. During the visit, the Vice President inspected the teaching and learning processes, supporting facilities and infrastructure, as well as the school dormitories. The principal of SMA Negeri 5 Sentra Pendidikan, Martinus Wenda, in Timika on Tuesday, said the visit was a special moment and a joy for the entire Sentra Pendidikan Mimika family. “We never imagined that the number two person in the Republic of Indonesia could be present at our school in Sentra Pendidikan,” he stated. Through this visit, it is hoped that Sentra Pendidikan Mimika will receive support and educational assistance from the central government. Sentra Pendidikan is a dormitory-style education centre from primary, junior high, and senior high school levels, built by the Mimika Regency Government in 2010. The school was constructed to support education for the Amungme and Kamoro tribes as well as five related tribes, namely the Dani, Damal, Mee, Nduga, and Moni tribes. “If for the total number of students from primary to high school, I don’t know exactly. But for the high school itself, there are 541 students and 14 classes,” he said. Alfons Fatarewa, an 11th-grade student at SMA Negeri 5 Sentra Pendidikan, admitted to being very happy that his school received a visit from the Vice President of Indonesia. “I am very pleased and excited because I can see the Vice President in person,” he said.