"We have opened (scholarship) registration for economically weak native Papuan high school graduates. We will facilitate them through Bisgemas," stated Adrian Howay, Head of Southwest Papua's Education and Culture Office, in Sorong, on Sunday.
He further explained that the program is open to Papuan high school and vocational high school graduates in the 2022/2023 academic years.
According to him, the provincial government has allocated 80 percent of the scholarship quota for native Papuan students, while the remaining 20 percent of the quota has been allocated for non-native residents of the province.
"We have spread registration brochures. After a strict selection process, a total of 60 people will be granted the scholarship," he noted.
He added that the selected participants will later undergo a six-month preparatory phase in a facility belonging to the Bejana Kasih Bumi Papua Foundation in Yogyakarta Province.
During the preparatory phase, the participants will be provided with Japanese language training courses and information on Japanese life and culture, among others, he said.
After completing the preparations, he continued, the 60 scholarship awardees will fly to Japan to enroll in various vocational education programs, such as nursing, foundry, industry, construction, car maintenance, accommodation business, agriculture, fishery, and food and beverages.
"We have established cooperation with universities in Japan (to accommodate the participants)," he highlighted.
Howay affirmed that the provincial government is implementing the scholarship program in the hopes of improving Southwest Papua's human resource quality and competitiveness.
"After concluding their studies, they will return to develop Southwest Papua by optimizing their respective expertise," he remarked.
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Translator: Yuvensius L, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Sri Haryati
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