DENPASAR

The government of Bali Province soon establish post (Posko) for dropout children on the next academic year in accordance with the advise from Education and Culture Ministry.

“We are ready to open the post and we will collaborate with the regional Education, Youth, and Sports Department (Disdikpora) in Bali,” the Head of Bali Education, Youth, and Sports Department (Disdikpora)  Anak Agung Ngurah Gede Sujaya  said in Denpasar.

He said that although the budget for that program is not from the central government, he will try to budget it on the change of 2013 Regional Income and Expenses Budget (APBD).

Previously, the Education and Culture Minister, M Nuh, asked the Heads of provincial Education Department to establish a post (Posko) as an effort to reduce dropout rate in Indonesia. From the effort to establish Posko, it is expected that the children who can’t afford school could be mapped so that the funds could be distributed to the right people.

Meanwhile the number of dropout students in 2012 in Bali was 1.407 students that is spread in a many regencies/ municipality. The detail is, for elementary school is 536 students, Junior high school is 368 students, senior high school is 178 students, and 325 students in vocational high school.

“The highest dropout rate is in Karangasem, which is for elementary school is 340 students, 155 students in junior high school, and 60 students of senior high school,” he said.

On the other hand, in vocational high school, the majority dropout children are those who go to school in Denpasar, which are 132 students.

Sujaya added that the dropout students has been facilitated with funds for attending equality tests of packet A, B, and C as well as scholarship.

The government of Bali Province in 2013 budget year has allocated budget for a variety types of scholarship for underprivileged students so they don’t have to dropout from school because they can’t afford it. “We give out scholarship for unfortunate students starting from elementary school to university,” he said.

He stated that the scholarship for senior high school students is Rp two millions per year, for vocational high school students is Rp 3, 2 millions per year, junior high school is Rp 890.000, and Rp 620.000 for elementary school students.

Besides, there are scholarships for underprivileged graduates of junior high school to go to SMKN 1 Denpasar and other vocational high schools in Bali, in which each of them will get Rp 22 millions. “There is social aid funds of education fee for poor and talented students to continue education at Medical Faculty of Udayana University,” Sujaya said.