Gov’t to Provide College Scholarships to 818,000 Students, Launch Pre-Working Cards in 2020

President Jokowi and Vice President Jusuf Kalla pose for a group photo with Speakers, Vice-Speakers of the House of Representatives and the Regional Representatives Council, at Nusantara Building of the legislative complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Friday (16/8). (Photo by: Deny S/ES)

In accordance with the Constitution mandate, the Government, in 2020 State Budget (APBN), has allocated educational budget that reaches 20 percent of the total State Expenditures amounting to Rp505.8 trillion or increased 29.6 percent compared to the realization of 2015 educational budget amounting to Rp390.3 trillion.

“With this increased educational budget, it is expected that no Indonesian children will be left behind”, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said in Presentation of the Government Statement on the Bill on the State Budget for the 2020 Fiscal Year and Its Financial Note Before the Plenary Session of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, in Senayan, Jakarta, Friday (16/8).

The President also stated that at the secondary and high level educations, the Government formulates educations and trainings to meet industry requirements. The Government, he added, also creates candidates for excellent scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs in the future.

In addition, the policy to improve the quality of the Indonesian people will also be emphasized to improve the quality of teachers, starting from the screening for prospective teachers, teacher training programs, the development of lesson plans to suitable teaching methods by utilizing technology.

On the primary and secondary education, the Government continues the School Operational Assistance (Bantuan Operasional Sekolah/BOS) program for 54.6 million students in 2020 to provide equal access to education and acceleration of a 12-year compulsory education. In addition, the Government also continues the Smart Indonesia Program (Program Indonesia Pintar/PIP) by providing scholarships for 20.1 million students.

Upon completion of the 12-year compulsory education, the Government deemed it necessary to provide wider access to children from underprivileged families to receive higher level education.

“Therefore, in 2020 the Government expands scholarships targets for high level education to 818 thousand students from underprivileged families, to those who have academic achievements, through the Smart Indonesia Card-College (Kartu Indonesia Pintar-Kuliah/KIP-Kuliah), including advanced Bidikmisi scholarships,” President Jokowi firmly said. This KIP-Kuliah Scholarships program is also distributed to students of vocational or polytechnic education and undergraduate education for science and technology programs.

In order to provide more access to improve skills of youth, job seekers, and those who are changing jobs, the Government will launch Pre-Working cards in 2020.

“They can choose types of courses that they want to follow, including, coding, data analytics, graphic design, accounting, foreign languages, art of coffee brewing, agribusiness, and heavy equipment operation,” President Jokowi said.

Regarding budget allocated for health sector, President Jokowi asserted that in accordance with the mandate of Law on Health of 2009, the Government has been consistent in maintaining the allocation of health budget at 5 percent of the State Budget since 2016.

“The Government allocates Rp132.2 trillion of health budget, doubling from the realization of health budget in 2015 at Rp69.3 trillion,” President Jokowi said adding that the Government, in 2020, is continuing priority program in health sector by bolstering health services and access in first level health facilities, followed by ensuring the availability of quality health workers.

Intensifying promotive and preventive programs is also conducted by providing nutrition and immunization of toddlers, as well as public education on the importance of healthy lifestyle to curb the prevalence of non-infectious diseases. In addition, program convergence and intensification activities of stunting reduction in 2020 are also expanded in 260 regencies/municipalities.

“Supporting programs for the expectant and delivering mothers’ health and safety also become our priority. The Health Care and Social Security Agency (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial/BPJS Kesehatan) and National Health Insurance (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional/JKN) shall be totally reformed,” President Jokowi firmly said.

The President went on to say that in 2020, the Government is to disburse budget for 96.8 million recipients of National Health Insurance assistance, continuing Family Hope Program (Program Keluarga Harapan/PKH) for 10 million beneficiaries, and disbursing non-cash food assistance program (Bantuan Pangan Non-Tunai/BPNT) for 15.6 million families through nine-basic-commodity cards.

By using the cards, the beneficiaries will be able to purchase and choose more diverse staple foods since the disbursed budget increases to Rp1.80 million per family per annum from Rp1.32 million per family per annum in the previous year. (MPR-DPD-DPR PR Team/ES)

Translated by : Rany Anjany Subachrum
Edited by : Mia Medyana Bonaedy