Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Education and Culture Minister Mohammad Nuh has stated that his ministry will ensure free education up to the university level for the nation's poor.
"The assurance was given in Indonesian law No.12/2012 on higher education, which made it legally binding. Later, if we want to change the law, we will have to discuss with the participants of Bidik Misi program," the minister said while inaugurating the Bidik Misi forum here on Wednesday evening.
Nuh noted that the program, implemented since 2009, was aimed at providing poor people with access to higher education.
He expressed hope that the program would "help poor families break the poverty cycle". According to Nuh, 91,412 poor people are currently enrolled in universities across Indonesia.
"If we manage to raise the figure by another 50,000 next year, the results will be incredible. We will dispel the notion that poor people cannot get higher education. Although some people are poor, God is fair. They might have limitations, but God has great powers," he stated.
Nuh said Bidik Misi participants had the opportunity to be leaders as well as agents of change not only nationally but also globally.
"However, they should never forget their roots and must continue to care for the poor people around them," he added. (*/DWA/T007)
