Poor Students Guaranteed by the State

Media Indonesia, page 23

Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education (Menristek Dikti), Mohamad Nasir asked prospective students from underprivileged families not to worry about the cost of continuing education because the state will finance.

Achievements should be well demonstrated and hopefully acceptable. If there is no scholarship inform the Minister. Do not worry, because if unable to pay, the state would finance the education, Nasir said in a video blog or vlog with the participants of the state higher education entrance joint selection (SBMPTN) who took the skills test at the Faculty of Sport Sciences, Makassar State University, South Sulawesi, yesterday.

Menristek Dikti continued that the scholarship provided by the government is Bidikmisi scholarship and achievement scholarship. Bidikmisi scholarship is a scholarship awarded to students who excel academically but economically need assistance. He said that this year, the government provides 80 thousand Bidikmisi scholarships. This is an increase from the previous year which amounted to 70 thousand. The living cost of Bidikmisi scholarship recipients have also increased from Rp.600 thousand per month to Rp650 thousand.

Directorate General of Learning and Student Affairs Kemenristek Dikti, Intan Ahmad said that the Bidikmisi scholarships provide full scholarships up to professional education. She said that this year the Kemenristek Dikti allocated Rp4.3 trillion for scholarships.