Jakarta – The government reaffirms its commitment to continuously improve the quality of education and nutrition in Papua as part of efforts to ensure national development equity.
The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen), Abdul Mu’ti, stated that providing adequate education access for all children in Indonesia must be a top priority. “We want to ensure that every child in Indonesia can learn in a safe and comfortable environment. There should be no more schools with inadequate buildings or minimal facilities. Every child deserves quality education,” said Mu’ti.
The government has set three main focuses in the education sector: building school infrastructure, improving the welfare and quality of teachers, and strengthening character education. These steps are being taken to ensure that the education provided meets national standards and enhances the competitiveness of the younger generation in Papua.
Additionally, improving nutrition remains a significant priority for the government. The Free Nutritious Food Program (MBG), managed by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), continues to be evaluated to ensure its effectiveness in benefiting children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers in Papua. “The Free Nutritious Food Program is under the National Nutrition Agency. Indeed, in the last limited meeting, it was decided that this program, which has just been implemented, will continue to be evaluated,” Mu’ti stated.
Papua Barat Senator, Filep Wamafma, also emphasized the importance of improving education quality in Papua, including the proposal to establish Education Volunteers to address the shortage of teachers in remote areas. “The Minister has received the proposal. We hope this can be realized, and the volunteers recruited by the ministry can become drivers of education in the villages, districts, and coastal and remote areas of Papua,” he explained.
Furthermore, Filep stressed the importance of private sector involvement in supporting educational development in Papua, particularly through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. This approach is expected to have a broader positive impact on the quality of education and infrastructure in the Papua region.
The government is also working to increase access to education for students in Papua through the Afirmasi Education Scholarship (ADEM), which is expected to more effectively assist students from 3T (underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost) areas. This scholarship is one of the strategic steps to reduce the education gap in Papua.
With the strategic steps currently being implemented, the government is optimistic that it can improve the quality of education and health in Papua, while also creating a more competitive, healthy, and capable generation from the region.
