"The recipients of the `scholarships for poor students` will be determined by the data provided by schools, but will be equipped with home-based identification," Boediono said.
Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia`s Vice President Boediono stated that the government is looking into the distribution of scholarships for poor students.

"The recipients of the `scholarships for poor students` will be determined by the data provided by schools, but will be equipped with home-based identification," Boediono said on Tuesday.

The statement was delivered on the `Meeting of Regional Development Planning of Java-Bali 2012`, attended by Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono, Minister of National Development Planning Armida S. Alisjahbana, and Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X.

According to the Vice President, the government will improve the distribution system, so that students from poor families receive the scholarships.

"We are currently conducting a trial of the new scholarship distribution system by using `education beneficiary cards`, which will be delivered directly to the recipients` homes," he explained.

Boediono further explained the result of the trial, which indicates that not all the recipients returned the cards to their schools. In addition, schools did not do a proper follow-up with the students who returned their cards.

"Therefore, I urge all the parties to support the efforts to improve this scholarship program," he said.

Furthermore, Boediono said that the government will continue to make improvements to the implementation of the Family Empowerment Program (PKH).

He stated that the government is targeting to serve three million poor families by 2014 through the Family Empowerment Program.

"Currently, the program can only serve around 1.5 million poor families in the country," he said.

The Vice President argued that the program plays an important role in providing education and healthcare services to the children from poor families.

"That`s why I expect the local governments to actively monitor the implementation of the PKH in their respective regions," he expressed.

According to him, the central government is preparing the Social Security Providers (BPJS) for the Healthcare industry, which will be operational from January 1, 2014. This institution is crucial for the development of healthcare services in the long term.

"I expect cooperation from all the local governments, especially in the synchronisation and integration of various Jamkesda healthcare systems into the social security system of the national healthcare industry. This is to ensure a comprehensive membership," said the Vice President. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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