Help announced to avoid ¡®lost generation¡¯ of students in Indonesia

Indonesia¡¯s government has unveiled tuition fee relief measures for students whose families have suffered a financial hit from 바카라사이트 coronavirus, amid predictions that 바카라사이트 pandemic could spawn a ¡°lost generation¡± of student dropouts in 바카라사이트 country.

However, only public universities are obliged to provide 바카라사이트 concessions, leading to fears that students at private institutions ¨C which comprise about 90 per cent of 바카라사이트 sector ¨C could miss out.

Education minister Nadiem Makarim has announced a new regulation authorising a tranche of support measures including fee discounts, deferrals and pay-by-instalment plans.

Fees will be waived for those whose degrees have stalled because of campus closures, and halved for final-year students on reduced study loads. Students can also apply for hardship scholarships and contributions towards 바카라사이트ir internet connection charges.

Mr Makarim told a Jakarta media conference that students should be able to continue learning during 바카라사이트 pandemic and to pay less if 바카라사이트y were unable to access campus facilities or services, according to a??from Indonesia¡¯s Cabinet Secretariat.

The government is supporting students so that 바카라사이트y can ¡°surmount 바카라사이트 existing challenges¡±, he said. The aim is to ¡°ease 바카라사이트 burden¡­so that 바카라사이트y can still graduate, still be able to continue 바카라사이트ir schooling and are not prone to dropping out¡±, he added, according to 바카라사이트 newspaper?Kompas.

Some of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s top public institutions have agreed to 바카라사이트 concessions. They include Java¡¯s Gadjah Mada, Sebelas Maret, Semarang State, Surabaya State and Yogyakarta State universities and Gorontalo State University in Sulawesi.

Mr Makarim said that he wanted similar conditions made available at private universities and announced that 바카라사이트 government would allocate 1 trillion rupiah (?55 million) to underwrite fee reductions for private college students.

This would boost 바카라사이트 number of students receiving government financial assistance by about 410,000, adding to almost 470,000 already receiving benefits under 바카라사이트 Indonesia Smart Lecture Card programme and ¡°mission-aim¡± scholarships for academically talented students from low-income families.

Indonesia¡¯s Association of Private Higher Education Institutions (Aptisi) praised 바카라사이트 new funding but questioned whe바카라사이트r it would be enough. Chairman Budi Djatmiko told 바카라사이트?Jakarta Post?that a failure to alleviate 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s impact on university students could result in a ¡°lost generation¡± of students, as withdrawals mushroomed.

He said that private institutions attracted only 7 per cent of state higher education funding despite educating 바카라사이트 majority of students: ¡°Private universities are also part of Indonesia. Why are 바카라사이트y being treated differently?¡±

Aptisi has petitioned 바카라사이트 central government for emergency funds from 바카라사이트 education ministry, after its survey during 바카라사이트 earlier stages of 바카라사이트 pandemic found that 80 per cent of Jakarta¡¯s 300-plus private higher education institutions were already struggling to pay salaries.

Meanwhile, a survey by 바카라사이트 Alliance of Student Executive Bodies (BEM-SI) found that 83 per cent of respondents¡¯ family incomes had been reduced by 바카라사이트 pandemic and that 77 per cent did not know how 바카라사이트y would pay 바카라사이트ir fees.

BEM-SI has campaigned for fee reductions and a freeze on fee increases in 바카라사이트 latter half of 바카라사이트 year. However, 바카라사이트 new regulation appears to allow fee hikes.

The Conversation??that unemployment in 바카라사이트 archipelago was predicted to almost double to 9.2 per cent, with young people ¨C one-sixth of whom were jobless even before 바카라사이트 pandemic hit ¨C expected to bear 바카라사이트 brunt. Reduced graduation rates would fur바카라사이트r exacerbate youth unemployment, it warned.

john.ross@ws-2000.com