Be careful, this should be spent on things related to school."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) symbolically distributed 2,709 Smart Indonesian Cards (KIP) to students of vocational, elementary, and high schools, as well as those from schools for disabled, here, Thursday.

This year, the government has planned to give a total of 19 million KIPs, the president stated at the Jakarta International Expo in Kemayoran where a national meeting on education and culture was held.

Among recipients of the smart cards will be 760 thousand orphans, Jokowi remarked, adding that 16.4 million KIPs were earlier distributed.

The money provided through the KIP program must be used for educational purposes, he emphasized.

"Hence, children, be careful (in spending the money). Students of elementary schools will receive Rp450 thousand, junior high school students will get Rp750 thousand, and senior high school students will be given Rp1 million. Be careful, this should be spent on things related to school," the president pointed out.

The government will revoke the cards of students spending the money for non-educational purposes, for instance, for buying phone vouchers.

The beneficiaries could spend the money to buy books, shoes, stationary, and school uniforms.

The KIP money can be disbursed by state-owned banks, BRI, and BNI.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani noted that according to the 2016 data, there were 896,781 orphans.

"Of the total, 155,933 orphans have received smart cards, while the remaining 767,484 have not received KIPs, and they will get the funds from the program in 2017," Maharani added.

The meeting on education and culture is being held on Jan 25-27 and was attended by 1,045 people, including teachers.

The KIP guarantees and ensures that all school-aged children from disadvantaged families receive financial assistance for education until the completion of high school or vocational school.

(Reported by Desca Lidya Natalia/Uu.F001/INE/KR-BSR)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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