From whatever island we are from, we play a role in making Indonesia much better in the future. Making the country everlastingly peaceful and prosperous; the prosperity that can equally be enjoyed by all Indonesians from Sabang to MeraukeJakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's foreign ministry cares for students and teachers in dire need of gadgets in various provinces, including Papua and West Papua, to enable them get access to online-learning platforms and services amid the COVID-19 situation.
As of the end of December 2020, 438 gadgets were distributed to the recipients through the ministry's partnering organizations in various cities, Foreign Minister Retno L. P. Marsudi was quoted by ANTARA as saying here on Wednesday.
"From whatever island we are from, we play a role in making Indonesia much better in the future. Making the country everlastingly peaceful and prosperous; the prosperity that can equally be enjoyed by all Indonesians from Sabang to Merauke," she emphasized.
Speaking at a virtual meeting to donate the gadgets to recipients in Papua and West Papua, Marsudi revealed that the initiative to assist the students and teachers was part of the ministry's action programs to commemorate its 75th anniversary this year.
Through its partnering organizations, the ministry distributed 438 gadgets to recipients in Jayapura, greater Jakarta areas, Bandung, Batam, Bima, Brebes, Cilegon, Cimahi, Medan, Rembang, Semarang, Surabaya, Tangerang, and Yogyakarta.
Especially in the provinces of Papua and West Papua, the gadgets were donated to 30 junior and senior high school students and three teachers residing in Biak Numfor and Raja Ampat through the ministry's partner, Hoshizora Foundation, she remarked.
Meanwhile, Kristian Wabiser, a coordinating teacher in Biak Numfor District, Papua Province, lauded the foreign ministry for its donated gadgets, as they would help both students and teachers in villages that participate in e-learning activities.
The students receiving the gadgets also expressed their gratitude to the foreign ministry, while Marsudi appealed to them to study hard to fulfill their ambitions in life and contribute to a better Indonesia.
Papua and West Papua are striving to catch up with other Indonesian provinces in driving multisectoral developments amid challenging hurdles in vulnerable security and human resources.
ANTARA noted that the development of human resources was an important matter for which comprehensive evaluation was necessary since the human development index scores of Papua and West Papua remained lower than those of other provinces.
Referring to Indonesia's 2019 human development index, the scores of Papua and West Papua were recorded at 64.7 and 60.84 respectively.
Owing to this factual reality, improving the quality of human resources must be prioritized amid stiff competition among Indonesians and among nations in the digital era.
The government is indeed aware of the challenging reality. To address the problems, it draws emphasis to prosperity-oriented approaches by boosting infrastructure construction projects to enable them to be at par with other provinces.
As recently disclosed by Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko, President Joko Widodo also focused on boosting the economic sector of Papua and West Papua by, for instance, enforcing the one-fuel price policy there.
As part of its endeavors to create social justice for the local people, the government also remains focused on development of the health and education sectors in the two provinces, he remarked.
Moeldoko believes that the second phase of special autonomy status granted for Papua and West Papua would be driven to fuel a new spirit in expediting developments to create prosperity in both provinces.
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EDITED BY INE
Translator: Aria C, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2020
