Commission X Of The House Of Representatives Asks The Government To Review The Cut Of KIP Assistance

PIXABAY'S ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission X DPR My Esti Wijayanti asked the government through the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemendikti Saintek) to immediately review policies that reduce the value of the Indonesia Smart Card (KIP) Lecture assistance, especially for students at leading private universities.

According to him, this decline has triggered unrest on various campuses and has the potential to hinder access to higher education for children from underprivileged families. Esti asked the government to strengthen the allocation of the KIP Lecture budget.

"It's very difficult. Already accepting students with KIP, suddenly the assistance was cut by almost half. The private campus that should have been assisted was even burdened," said Esti, Tuesday, September 23.

According to Esti, cutting the value of KIP Lecture assistance by up to 45 percent for superior campuses has a layered effect. In addition to students from underprivileged families who are threatened with not being able to continue their studies, the campus is also burdened because they are not allowed to collect a difference in costs from KIP recipients.

"And many campuses express objections. The effect is that the number of students accepted by KIP Lectures is reduced, and makes children from families unable to lose the opportunity to go to college," he said.

Esti is worried that cutting the tuition KIP assistance can break the hopes of poor families to raise degrees through education. He emphasized that education is the constitutional right of every citizen.

"Education is the constitutional right of every citizen. The state must not ignore its responsibility for equitable learning opportunities," said Esti.

Esti encourages a strict monitoring mechanism so that national strategic programs such as KIP Lectures are not shifted by other budget allocations that are not on target.

"This is not just a matter of scholarships, this is a matter of social justice and the future of the nation. The government must ensure that every child of the nation, without exception, still has the opportunity to receive higher education and contribute to national development," he said.

Esti also ensured that Commission X of the DPR would continue to monitor and oversee this policy in accordance with the constitutional mandate.

"Commission X will continue to supervise the implementation of the KIP Lecture program. We will encourage this policy to be returned in principle, providing equal access for all children of the nation to get higher education, not to close their way," concluded Esti.