Papua is still facing the problem of low availability of basic education teachers and teacher absence in remote areas. This has also had an impact on the low Human Development Index (HDI) especially in the Provinces of Papua and West Papua from year to year.
In this regard, Vice President (Wapres) KH Ma’ruf Amin on April 17, 2023, directed the Minister of Religion and the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology to provide access to teacher provision through the Theological College (STT). During his working visit to Manokwari on July 15, 2023, the Vice President also conveyed to church figures throughout Papua that the government would provide access for STT to prepare teachers in Papua.
As a follow-up to the Vice President’s direction, the Vice President’s Special Staff Masykuri Abdillah held a Coordination Meeting with a number of ministries/institutions at the Vice President’s Secretariat office on Monday (07/08/2023). In the Coordination Meeting, Masykuri said that church activists in Papua have long contributed to providing access to education for the Papuan people to the interior.
“Church figures have contributed a lot to opening up access to education for the Papuan people, even to the interior. They are the ones who provide space for Indigenous Papuans (OAP) to enjoy education for the development of Papua’s welfare,” he said.
De facto, continued Masykuri, education activists from church and STT circles have actually been carrying out voluntary teaching activities in the interior of Papua amidst the large number of ASN teachers who have actually left their places of duty.
“What is needed now is to provide status and rights to these teachers through the opening of the PGSD/PAUD Study Program at STT, and this is in line with the aspirations of the Papuan Church institution,” he stressed.
On the same occasion, Rev. Konstantinus Bahang, a representative from the Papua Christian Center (PCC) who is also a member of the Communion of Churches in Papua and West Papua (PGPP/PB) conveyed the aspirations of church figures so that STT can open Early Childhood Education Teacher Education Study Programs (Prodi PGPAUD) and Elementary School Teacher Education (Prodi PGSD).
“We church figures ask the government to give us the opportunity to open the PG PAUD and PGSD study programs. The goal is that educational institutions managed by the church can produce militant and tough teachers who are willing to teach in the interior of Papua,” he concluded.
This aspiration was strengthened by the Member of the Papua Special Autonomy Development Acceleration Steering Committee (BP3OKP) from the Province of Southwest Papua, Otto Ihalauw, who stated that Papua must be treated specially, not with general rules so that obstacles to the opening of the PG PAUD Study Program and PGSD Study Program can be implemented quickly.
“To solve the education problem in Papua, sectoral egos must be put aside and it is necessary to pay attention to the emergency aspects in the Papua region so that what is produced is an affirmative policy,” he said.
Responding to this, the Head of the Legal Bureau of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Ineke Indraswati, emphasized that the Government is serious about fulfilling the needs of teachers in Papua. According to her, the aspirations of church figures for STT to open PG PAUD and PGSD study programs can be fulfilled through a cooperation scheme between STT and LPTK, such as Cenderawasih University.
“STT in Papua can open PG PAUD and PGSD study programs through a cooperation scheme with universities appointed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, we will accompany and accelerate it so that it can run immediately,” he said.
Furthermore, on this occasion, the Senior Expert Drafter of the Law of the Ministry of Religion’s Legal Bureau, Imam Syaukani, emphasized that the existence of STT when collaborating with Cenderawasih University must remain.
“STT is not just an implementer of LPTK study programs, but is indeed the organizer of PG PAUD and PGSD study programs,” he requested.
Then in the last session of the Coordination Meeting, Masykuri Abdillah emphasized that the central government will continue to strive to encourage the opening of PG PAUD and PGSD study programs at STT while still prioritizing the affirmative policy aspect.
“STT is also expected to immediately process the permit for the opening of the PG PAUD Study Program and PGSD Study Program to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology,” he said. (RN, BPMI – Setwapres)
