MATASEMARANG.COM – Government through The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has set a maximum educational assistance ceiling of Rp3 million (US$176) per semester for early childhood education (PAUD) and secondary school teachers through the Prior Learning Recognition (RPL) scheme.
The ministry’s Director of Early Childhood Education and Non-Formal Education Teachers, Suparto, in a dialogue on Friday, said that the assistance has been adjusted to reflect the actual cost of tuition at various partner universities.
“The maximum assistance is Rp3 million per semester. Some universities set it lower, for example, Rp2.5 million (US$147). So, on average, it is sufficient to cover tuition fees,” he remarked.
He noted that the assistance applies only for the designated study period of two semesters, with no extension if participants fail to finish on time.
According to Suparto, this assistance aims to reduce the burden of educational costs for teachers, especially those who are still contractual and not yet certified.
This program will run until 2027, targeting PAUD teachers who do not yet have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent Diploma IV qualification, he continued.
The ministry is targeting 12,500 teachers to participate in the program for undergraduate degrees.(ant)
