Papua Education: The Key to Overcome Separatism
To encourage improving the quality of education in Papua, the Provincial Government of Papua through the education office sends Papuan children to Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) to undergo education as a teacher. Previously, in order to advance the quality of education in Papua, the provincial government of Papua and the Foundation of Universitas Pelita Harapan established cooperation through the education program. Where the Papuan government appointed UPH Foundation to implement the Education Program for teachers, students and students who excel, and follow seta in the development of schools in Papua. Head of Education Office of Papua Province Elias Wonda revealed, sending the children of Papua to UPH in hopes after graduation can return to help the government to improve human resources in Bumi Cenderawasih. “The delivery of Papuan children has been done since 2012,” he explained.
This program can certainly be expected to meet the needs of teachers in Papua, the article to date the interior of Papua until the time is still short of teachers. “Next year, there will be two children who will graduate, which is now their task to be solved first, maybe the IP is less so next year will be finished,” he explained. According to him, in Papua there are about four schools built by this university, such as in Tolikara District (Mamit, Karubaga), and Jayapura District. “For Mamit we sent 13 prospective teachers, Kampung Harapan, Kabupaten Jayapura, there are about dozens of people, one Karubaga, and Tolikara, so they built pioneering schools in Papua,” he said.
He said that during the leadership of the head of the old Education Office James Modouw, the provincial government sent the teachers two times, and all had finished their education at UPH. “Last yesterday there are two more children left next year will be finished, so this is a continuation program from the old officials,” he said. He added that currently he only continues the program from the old leader, where since they entered until financed by the provincial government of Papua.
It is expected that through this cooperation can meet the needs of qualified teachers, especially in the areas of Eastern Indonesia. Thus it can improve the quality of education and produce a generation of intelligent, character and faith, who can contribute and advance the life of nation and state to the people of Papua in the future. (http://papuapos.com/index.php/component/k2/item/7729-improve-quality-education-papua-send-child-papua-to-uph)
Selective
All Local Government policies that promote and advance the education sector and the health sector, especially in Papua should be appreciated for the advancement of education and the health sector in the region will significantly influence the progress in Papua itself. And, it must be admitted that poverty is still an acute problem in Papua.
Nevertheless, the implementation of the program of sending students or providing scholarships to people of Papua should be carried out selectively by putting forward a number of criteria that should be met, including the applicants, or to be sent to school must have an IQ (intellectual Quatient) capable offset by EQ (emotional quotient) and SQ (spiritual quotient) is good.
Not only that, the scholarship recipients or those who will be schooled outside Papua also goes for those who can afford and are believed to keep the cultural roots of Papua and will keep it up at any time and last but not least prospective students or scholarship candidates are those Who are loyal to NKRI and not a separatist support group in Papua.
This is important because educational progress will also be a significant factor in the eradication or elimination of separatist spirit in Papua. Moreover, a teacher who is a respectable profession, appreciated and is a prominent figure would be very dangerous if not loyal to the Republic of Indonesia, because the teacher can also be effective in preventing the spear still eksisnya separatism in Papua.
Indonesian nation as a whole including Papuans will regret if prospective students or those who get scholarships outside the school of Papua end up just be a foreign activist or komprador solely. It was time, the Papuan people unite to build Indonesia, let alone reportedly Goliath Tabuni OPM leaders have also pledged allegiance to the Republic of Indonesia on July 1, 2017.
It is time for students or teachers from Papua who are studying in Java or other lands are trying to raise the degree and dignity of Papuan society through the world of education and forget or leave the world of practical politics that voice Papua independence. Why ?
BPS data say, West Papua and Papua have the lowest value among all provinces in Indonesia, in the report Human Development Index (HDI) 2010-2015. West Papua has a value of 61.73, while Papua has a value of 57.25. While the average value of HDI in Indonesia is 69.55. HDI measures the average achievement of citizens in a country in terms of human development. The measured variables are health, life expectancy, education and living standard. In addition to low HDI values, inflation figures in West Papua and Papua are quite high. Many children are forced to drop out because they have to work to support the family economy.
Data from United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) shows that 30% of Papuan students do not complete their primary and junior high schools. In the interior, about 50% of elementary school students and 73% of junior high school students choose to drop out. Geographical condition is one of the factors that make it difficult for Papuans to get education.
Collaboration between government and private sector like this is needed to build access to education in the hinterland such as Mamit. Papuans who succeed in getting a proper education should return to their hometown and share their knowledge. It is time for education in Papua to enlighten and strengthen the nationalism of the people of Papua against NKRI.
*) Bayu Kusuma, The author is an observer of Indonesia’s strategic issues. Living in Jakarta.
