JAYAPURA - Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, John Wempi Wetipo confirmed that the issue of Papuan student scholarships is now officially taken over by the Central Government.

The decision was taken after the Vice Minister of Home Affairs accompanied by the Acting Governor of Papua and representatives of student parents met in Jayapura.

The meeting took place at the Hall of the Human Resources Development Agency of Papua, Tuesday (4/7/2023),

"This meeting is the last solution to the struggle of students’ parents. The result is that the Central Government will take over this problem, the Papua Provincial Government will provide data as requested by the Ministry of Finance," the Vice Minister of Home Affairs Wetipo told the press, after the meeting.

The Vice Minister of Home Affairs said that the data on 3,171 students must be submitted immediately so that debt payments or arrears of scholarships (Papua Superior Students) in 2022 can be made by the Ministry of Finance.  

"According to the letter from the Ministry of Finance, one of the alternative ways to settle scholarship arrears is through intercept cuts in the General Allocation Fund. There is a request from the Acting Governor for the settlement of payments through cuts in special autonomy funds. The mechanism will be submitted again to the Ministry of Finance," he said.

However, the most important thing, added the Vice Minister of Home Affairs, the 18 items requested by the Ministry of Finance must be immediately prepared by the Government of Papua Tourism.

On that occasion, Vice Minister of Home Affairs Wempi Wetipo appealed to students not to worry because the problem had been resolved.   

“No need to tell this problem to the President anymore, this is a small problem that we can solve. It is my duty from the President and the Home Minister to solve this problem and we are done. I am very sure the problem of Papuan superior student scholarships will be over, ‘’ he explained. 

Papua Acting Governor Ridwan Rumasukun said the data requested by the Vice Minister of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance would be prepared soon. "On Monday, we will hand it over to the Home Minister and the Minister of Finance," he said.

Ridwan added that the special autonomy scholarship program was a program from the former Governor of Papua, Barnabas Suebu who wanted to produce 1000 doctors, then continued by Governor Lukas Enembe with the Papua Superior Students program and produce more than 3000 Papuan children with bachelor's degrees in various fields. ***