goodmorningpapua.com – The Papuan generation is the golden generation. They were born with the same expectation, with the same opportunities, with the same dreams. They are the excellent generation who need to be continuously encouraged and facilitated for good access to education. Education that is able to create a transformation for their lives towards a better, more advanced, and excellence life.
One of the excellent generations of Papua who has had the opportunity to pursue an ideal education is Paskalis Kaipman (31), the son of a farmer in Boven Digoel, Papua who has successfully completed his master’s degree in America. In a US – Indonesia Education Virtual Discussion Forum (23/05/2022) entitled “Building a Country from Eastern Indonesia; Kitong Bisa”, a collaboration between the Indonesian Embassy in the United States and the Kitong Bisa Foundation, he said that it all started in 2011.
Since then he has decided to migrate to Merauke and continue his studies at Musamus University, Merauke majoring in English. He received the Bidikmisi scholarship for the students who are underprivileged but having potential in the academic field. According to Paskalis, he chose to major in English because there are not many English teachers in Boven Digoel and South Papua.
“English is indispensable and it is included in the National Examination. So the human resources must be sufficient, to answer the problem of the shortage of English teachers,” explained the man who likes hunting.
Because he doesn’t have any family in Merauke, Paskalis lives in a Catholic rectory in Merauke, which is about a 2-hour walk away. He walked to campus for the first 3 months until he met one of the lecturers.
In 2016 Paskalis finally graduated from college and worked in an NGO. In the same year Paskalis decided to go home to his family. He had to travel for three days from Merauke to his village in Boven Digoel.
When he went home, Paskalis requested his mother’s blessing to continue his master’s education. Although he did not know how to get it, his mother’s prayers are with him. “Mom said, ‘Son, go. I must be praying. Pray for you. Don’t think of us. You go, pursue what you have aspired to. So, you should not think about us; you should not think about brothers and sisters.’”
While searching a scholarship, in 2017, Paskalis started working at the Agri Spice Indonesia company in Sentani. Six months on, he decided to apply for an LPDP scholarship or the Education Fund Management Institute under the Indonesian Ministry of Finance. As a recipient of the East Indonesia scholarship, Paskalis received three country choices, namely Japan, South Korea, and the United States. He chose the latter.
“It’s amazing to have a good opportunity from the Indonesian government through the LPDP, to entrust me as a Papuan son, to go to study in America,” he added.
The road to achieving master’s education in the United States is wide open. As a young man from Boven Digoel, he feels proud and happy to be able to get a scholarship to the United States.
For about a year he prepared everything. He also left for the United States in August 2019. It was over there that he then proceeded to become an extraordinary generation of Papuan pride.
His extraordinary life experiences have brought him to the point of his life now. Paskalis did not forget to thank all the people who have assited him till this day, who have asisted him one by one in achieving his goal.
“Surely God will open a way in His way. The something important is that you have a dream, you can’t have doubts about all the shortcomings to achieve that dream or that idea.”
The discussion forum really inspired the younger generation, especially the younger generation of Papua. The forum was attended by Ida Bagus Sade Bimantara (A Deputy Ambassador of Indonesia to the United States), Billy Mambrasar (A Special Staff of the President from Papua), Popy Rufaidah (An Educational and Cultural Attache of the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, DC), Paskalis (A Papuan Students in the United States), Isaschar Mambrasar (A Phenomenal Educator from Papua), and Apolo Safanpo (A Chancelllor of Cenderawasih University).