2m poor elementary students to get scholarships

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta, Wed, 07/27/2011

The National Education Ministry says it has allocated Rp 762.2 billion (US$89.9 million) this year for BSM-SD scholarships for about 2.04 million poor elementary school students nationwide.

Students from first to fifth grade will be entitled to the scholarships, which are worth Rp 360,000 per student and will be disbursed between July and December.

Ministry director for elementary schools Ibrahim Bafadal said Tuesday in Jakarta the scholarships were meant to help poor parents purchase stationery, uniforms and other school-related items for their children.

School operating costs, meanwhile, are covered by the School Operational Aid (BOS) funding program, Ibrahim said.

The numbers of students to be granted scholarships in each municipality/regency has been set based on several indicators such as poverty levels and geographical conditions, he added.

“Each municipality and regency will then select schools that will receive BSM-SD scholarships. Then a team will be sent to ask for a list of the students that have been nominated to receive the scholarships at each school,” Ibrahim said as quoted by kompas.com.