Wamendagri Welcomes 65 Papuan Students Arriving in Jakarta for Further Education

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Wamendagri) Ribka Haluk has welcomed 65 students from the interior and mountainous regions of Papua who arrived at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta on Tuesday (11/8) after a seven-day sea journey from Jayapura. On behalf of the Minister of Home Affairs, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, she expressed her appreciation for the opportunity provided to these Papuan children. Ribka noted that she has been following the development of the education programme run by the Yayasan Pendidikan Harapan Papua (YPHP) since 2023. Through this programme, students receive support from junior high school level, including dormitory facilities, all the way through to access to higher education. “So, being recruited from junior high school and provided with dormitories and everything, then also facilitated up to higher education. This is extraordinary work,” she said in a written statement on Tuesday. According to Ribka, bringing children from the interior and mountainous regions of Papua to obtain further education is not an easy task. Geographical conditions and various limitations mean that opening access to education for them requires hard work and support from many parties. She expressed gratitude on behalf of the Papuan people to all parties involved in the programme, emphasising that this process is an effort to break through boundaries that are not easy to navigate. “I can only say thank you on behalf of all the people of Papua. I said earlier that this is not easy, it is a boundary-breaking job,” she stated. Ribka advised the students to make the most of this opportunity by studying diligently. She also asked them to adapt to their new environment while pursuing their education in Tangerang. “I hope you study well here. Leave behind old habits,” she told the students. The 65 students, ranging from grade 7 to grade 10, come from various areas including Nalca, Korupun, Danowage, Daboto, Mokndoma, Waisai, Sentani, and Tarup. They were accompanied by 32 people consisting of clergy, teachers, doctors, nurses, and medical personnel. Through the YPHP programme, the students have the opportunity to continue their education at SLH Gunung Moria in Tangerang after completing their basic education in their home regions. The programme not only provides access to further education but also opens opportunities for students to pursue higher education.