State Present In Banda Aceh, Children Get Free Early Education

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - The Banda Aceh City Government has implemented a free program for early childhood education costs (PAUD) for scavengers in the Gampong (village) area of Java, Kutaraja District.

"The government must attend, we bring PAUD here, and all costs are subsidized by the Banda Aceh Government," said Acting Mayor of Banda Aceh Bakri Siddiq, in Banda Aceh, Friday, January 20.

Bakri Siddiq had the opportunity to encourage people and children in Gampong, Java, to go to school and provide basic food assistance to local residents.

The people in Gampong Java are at a fairly simple economic level (poor people). Where the majority of the population there work as scavengers every day.

Bakri said, don't send children to higher levels, they are overwhelmed with the cost of PAUD schools. Especially to complete other educational needs.

"There are no school facilities here, therefore we, the Banda Aceh Government, are here so that all children get proper education," he said as quoted by Antara.

In this program, said Bakri, later around 120 children under the age of six will receive PAUD school scholarships, as well as being given necessities such as uniforms to learning tools.

"The government continues to be present to improve the human resources of the children here. Later we will benefit from the Keuchik office and bring in PAUD teachers, so that they can be enthusiastic about learning," said Bakri Siddiq.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Banda Aceh Education and Culture Office (Disdikbud), Sulaiman Bakri, explained that the program only applies to children under the age of six or PAUD only. Meanwhile, after that, it is included in another scholarship program.

For elementary and junior high school levels, said Sulaiman, later they will enter the Smart Indonesia Program (PIP), and all tuition fees are also free for underprivileged children.

"We hope that the education of children in Gampong Jawa will really increase," said Sulaiman.

On this occasion, Keuchik (Village Head) Gampong Jawa Mukhlis Tu Padang thanked the Banda Aceh City Government for its concern for improving the quality of education for underprivileged children in their area.

"The people here are less able, we fully support this program and hopefully the education of the children in Gampong Jawa will improve better in the future," said Mukhlis Tu Padang.