Pursuing Zero Percent Target Of Extreme Poverty, Minister Gives Village Heads The Opportunity To Study Up To Doctoral Degree

Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration (Mendes PDTT) Abdul Halim Iskandar (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration (Mendes PDTT) Abdul Halim Iskandar provides opportunities for outstanding village heads to continue their education up to doctoral degrees.

"In the future, the village head because of his achievements can continue his education to the doctoral level," said the Minister of Des PDTT in a written statement received in Jakarta, Sunday, October 10.

He added that the opportunity to continue education is also open for Professional Assistance Personnel (TPP). Therefore, continued Mendes PDTT, his ministry is making efforts and coordinating with various parties including the LPDP so that village heads and TPPs who excel can study up to S3.

Gus Halim, as he is usually called, said that in the future TPP recruitment will be prioritized through Village Local Assistants (PLD). That is, structuring the capacity of village assistants based on a strong foundation by using a merit system.

"The construction of buildings for assistants is strong because the existence of TPP is very necessary and strategic, so I always say TPP is the biological child of the Ministry of Villages," he said at the Coordination Meeting for Consolidation of Village Community Assistance in Palu, Saturday (9/10).

Regarding the Zero Percent Extreme Poverty issue, Gus Halim said that microdata at the village level was needed. "The President's target for Zero Percent of Extreme Poverty must be carried out at the village level and based on microdata by name by address," he said as quoted by ANTARA.

Until now, it was conveyed, about 60 percent of villages out of a total of 74,961 villages had completed the Village Data Update. For Central Sulawesi, Gus Halim asked the TPP to continue to monitor so that the village immediately completed updating the Village SDGs-based data.

"Speaking of Extreme Poverty cannot be separated from the Ministry of Villages, Village Heads and Village Facilitators," said Gus Halim. He said this requires synergy and hard work as well as synchronization between all competent parties for village development affairs.