Puan Desak Pemerintah Segera Salurkan Bantuan Pendidikan Bagi Siswa Madrasah

Speaker of the House of Representatives Puan Maharani (Photo Doc of the DPR)

JAKARTA - DPR Speaker Puan Maharani has heard reports that hundreds of thousands of madrasa students from Family Beneficiaries of the Family Hope Program (KPM PKH) have not received their rights. They should be entitled to assistance through the Smart Indonesia Program (PIP).

"We urge the Government to pay attention to the fate of children who have not received the right to receive PIP assistance. Immediately realize the provision of assistance for madrasa students," said Puan, Monday, September 26.

Based on a report from the Religious Education Working Committee Commission VIII of the DPR, there are more than 2.6 million madrasa students who this year are entitled to educational funding assistance. The details of the recipients are one million Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI) and Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) students and more than four hundred thousand Madrasah Aliyah (MA) students.

Of the 2.6 million madrasa students, there are still about three hundred thousand more who have not received their rights because the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) still lacks funds of Rp242.1 billion. Puan hopes that the Government will pay attention to this issue.

"Don't let children who should be entitled to receive educational assistance be sacrificed due to budget allocation constraints," continued Puan in a written statement.

All children have the right to access and educational facilities, including those who are underprivileged. The task of the State is to meet these needs," added Puan.

The former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture also reminded the Government's promise that educational funds transferred to the Regional Government can be fully accessed, including for madrasas. According to Puan, there are still many children in the area who have difficulty getting proper educational facilities.

"I toured various regions, I found various problems regarding the lack of educational facilities for children. Some cannot go to school because their schools are often flooded, some are because they don't have uniforms," he said.

According to Puan, such problems should not happen. Regarding the lack of PIP funds for madrasas students, he reminded the importance of definite regulations.

"So that this DAK can be accessed by madrasas and Islamic boarding schools, which we know is mostly managed by private foundations. With definite regulations, the local government has an obligation to allocate a budget for educational assistance," said Puan.

Puan emphasized that children's rights to receive educational assistance must be provided. Puan said that technical issues of budget distribution must be resolved.

"Percepat bantuan pendidikan yang menjadi hak anak-anak tersebut. Hak anak dalam memperoleh bantuan pendidikan dari Pemerintah tidak boleh dilebikan," tutupnya.