West Java Prepares Scholarships for 80,000 Private School Students

Garut (ANTARA) - The West Java Provincial Government is preparing a scholarship programme for 80,000 students enrolled in private senior high schools (SMA) and vocational schools (SMK). The programme aims to prevent school dropouts and assist those facing economic difficulties, with each student receiving an annual grant of Rp2.7 million.

“Private school students will receive Rp2.7 million per year; today, we are providing scholarships to 80,000 students,” stated the Governor of West Java, Dedi Mulyadi, to journalists in Garut Regency on Wednesday.

He explained that the West Java Provincial Government has allocated a scholarship budget to support approximately 80,000 students attending private schools. According to the Governor, the availability of these scholarships means that the free education programme in West Java has now reached 90 per cent coverage for both private and public schools.

“This means that almost all schools in West Java can be said to be 90 per cent ‘free’, funded by the provincial government,” he said.

He noted that the West Java Provincial Government has established partnerships with 1,015 private schools to accommodate and accept students as part of the effort to prevent dropouts and assist those facing economic constraints. “These schools are listed in the application; schools that have not entered into a partnership will not appear in the app,” he added.

He stated that this policy serves as a solution to prevent students from dropping out, particularly those whose parents face economic challenges that prevent them from pursuing higher education at the SMA/SMK level.

In addition to assisting students, the programme is intended to support private schools that previously complained about declining student numbers due to the influx of students into public schools. “These schools need pupils; previously, there was concern regarding empty classrooms. Now, classrooms will not be empty for those schools that cooperate with the Provincial Government,” he said.

He emphasised that the budget for these scholarships is secured through a reallocation of unused funds from the Education Office to more pressing priorities. “As the Governor has stated, the budget is available and has been allocated, so it is settled,” he concluded.