Papua, as one of the outermost provinces in Indonesia, still faces big challenges in terms of education. Even though efforts have been made to improve access and quality of education in Papua, there are still many obstacles that need to be overcome in order to achieve equal access and quality of education that is comparable to other provinces in Indonesia. Therefore, supporting the transformation of education in Papua is a necessity to achieve the goal of the Papua region having quality education.
Education is a very important aspect in the development of Papuan children. As a province located at the eastern tip of Indonesia, Papua has abundant natural resources, but there are still many challenges in the field of education. Therefore, it is important to understand why education is an important factor for Papuan children.
First, education provides fair opportunities for Papuan children to develop their potential. In Papuan society, there is still a large gap between education in urban areas and education in remote areas. Many children in remote areas do not have adequate access to quality education. Through various efforts to improve access and quality of education in Papua, Papuan children will have equal opportunities to develop their talents and potential, so that they can contribute positively to the development of Papua and Indonesia as a whole.
Apart from that, education also gives Papuan children the ability to face future challenges. In the era of globalization and technological progress, education is the key to preparing Papuan children to face an increasingly complex world. With a good education, Papuan children will have the skills necessary to compete in an increasingly competitive job market. They will be able to adapt to changes and become innovators in various fields, so that they can advance Papua and reduce the gap with other regions in Indonesia.
In advancing education in the Papua region, the West Papua Province Education Quality Assurance Agency (BPMP) also held the Merdeka Curriculum Festival by echoing the essence of the implementation and results of the Merdeka curriculum. This is to socialize the Merdeka curriculum to create a quality learning process in order to improve the quality of education in Papua.
However, the main challenge in education in Papua is limited access. Papua’s geography of mountains and wilderness makes access to schools difficult. Many remote areas are difficult to reach by transportation infrastructure. This means that many Papuan children cannot access education easily. Therefore, investment is needed in developing adequate educational infrastructure, such as building roads and bridges, to ensure equal access to education throughout Papua. This is to support the Papua Regional Education and Culture Service in equalizing the quality of education. According to the Regional Secretary of Jayapura City, Frans Pekey, said that equal distribution of the quality of education at all levels can improve the quality of education for the young generation of Papua.
Apart from that, the quality of education in Papua also needs to be improved. The lack of qualified and trained teaching staff is one of the main factors affecting the quality of education in Papua. Many schools in Papua lack teachers who are competent in teaching. Therefore, efforts need to be made to improve the quality of education through training and development of teaching staff in Papua.
Through the White Crocodile 323 Task Force, the government continues to play an active role in realizing equal distribution of education in the Papua region, by providing books and stationery as well as motivating the younger generation to study hard in seeking knowledge. Dansatgas Mobile Yonif 323 Buaya Putih, Lt. Col. Inf Tri Wiratno said the distribution of books and stationery carried out by the Yonif 323 Buaya Putih Task Force was aimed at supporting the progress of education in the Papua region.
Furthermore, Community Leader of Wako Village, Puncak Regency, Papua, Obeth Alom, revealed that he and the Papuan people would like to express their gratitude to the government’s efforts through the task force which is always active in establishing communication and helping residents, especially the young generation of Papua, in improving the quality of education in Papua. In supporting educational transformation in Papua, there needs to be collaboration between the central government, regional governments, communities and educational institutions. The central government needs to pay special attention to education in Papua by allocating an adequate budget for the development of educational infrastructure and training of teaching staff. Regional governments also need to play an active role in supporting educational transformation in Papua by developing supportive policies and allocating sufficient budgets.
With strong support from all parties, the transformation of education in Papua to equal access and quality can be achieved. Papuan children have the same rights to receive quality and equal education as children in other provinces in Indonesia. Supporting educational transformation in Papua is a long-term investment that will have a positive impact on human development and Papua’s progress as a developed and competitive province. Bottom of Form
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Yogyakarta
