goodmorningpapua.com – The government will soon build and operate two new National-level Campuses in Papua. Namely Campus II UNCEN Faculty of Marine Affairs and Fisheries in Yapen Islands Regency (Coastal Region) and Campus of Okmin University, in Oxibil Regency (Mountain Region).
In his speech, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the commemoration ceremony on August 17, 2021, affirmed two things. Namely the commitment to develop the Land of Papua through increasing the OTSUS Fund to 2.25 percent and improving OTSUS governance, as well as focusing on improving the quality of human resources, to encourage the acceleration of the development.
“This includes Papua, where the main focus is on the development of Papuan Indigenous Human Resources (OAP), including through this higher education,” said President Jokowi’s Special Staff from Papua, Billy Mambrasar in his statement, Thursday, August 19, 2021.
Billy explained that the interest of Papuan youth and women to pursue higher education did not subside. Either through other programs such as OTSUS Scholarships through BPSDM both at home and abroad, Affirmation for Higher Education (ADIK), including the great interest in studying at local campuses in Papua and West Papua.
Billy added that although there are already many private universities, as well as three state campuses in Papua and West Papua, it turns out that much more is needed to accelerate the higher education in Papua.
In 2020, as a form of Jokowi’s commitment to accelerate development in Papua and West Papua, Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2020 was issued, which consists of various development action plans using the APBN budget, in various sectors in Papua.
The development action plan focuses on improving the quality of health services, accessibility of education, and accelerating economic development. Currently, the development action plan is managed by the Papua Desk of Bappenas, with the coordination of the command from the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia.
“There are still discussions with UNCEN regarding quotas, because only about 80 students have been accepted, but until now, there have been two waves of registration, the number has almost exceeded 200 test participants, meaning that the enthusiasm of Papuan children for the existence of this campus is very high, “said the Head of the Marine and Fisheries Service of the Yapen Islands Regency, Daniel Reba.
Prospective students registering are native Papuan sons and daughters, who are not only from the Yapen Islands Regency and Waropen Regency. But it is also from other regencies around Cenderawasih Bay, such as Mamberamo, Nabire, Biak, Supiori, Wondama, and Manokwari.