LPDP Checks 36 Alumni Who Are Allegedly Violating Commitment to Service

JAKARTA - The President Director of the Education Fund Management Agency (LPDP) Sudarto revealed that there were 36 LPDP scholarship recipients who had not fulfilled their service obligations in Indonesia.

"Currently we are in the process of examining 36 people, including the viral one," he said in a press conference, quoted on Thursday, February 26.

Sudarto explained that his party had examined more than 600 LPDP alumni and the data was obtained from immigration and correctional ministry immigration records, community reports, to social media monitoring results.

He added that in following up on the 36 cases, the LPDP made a proportional assessment by considering the context of the violation.

However, Sudarto emphasized that he would not hesitate to impose sanctions on scholarship recipients who were proven to have violated the provisions.

Based on LPDP data as of January 31, the total number of alumni reached 32,876 people, and as many as 307 people were known to be undergoing internship permits or continuing their studies abroad, while 172 people worked according to the provisions of LPDP.

Sudarto gave an example, if an alumni works in a global strategic institution, for example, who contributes to the development of vaccines, the LPDP will ask for a clear commitment.

He assessed that the position could not necessarily be immediately replaced by other Indonesian talents, and if there was no firm commitment, sanctions would be immediately imposed.

The two sanctions prepared for violators of the obligation of service are the return of education funds and the blocking of access to all LPDP programs in the future.

He added that the LPDP program is very broad and the degree program in all ministries amounts to around 98 thousand, while the non-degree program has exceeded 600 thousand and will continue to increase, so that each case is processed objectively and proportionally by considering the facts and existing context.

According to Sudarto, this controversy is an evaluation momentum for the LPDP to make improvements, both in terms of regulations, systems, contribution criteria, and the mechanism for granting sanctions so that they are more accurate and effective in the future.