When the pandemic covid 19 hit Indonesia, almost every part of the country needs to face the same problems. Education in particular gets a huge impact since students cannot fully infuse themselves in learning. But the problem is getting worse in the 3T (leading, remote, and left behind) area, such as West Papua. In this case, ADEM takes a huge role to support local education.
ADEM Education Program
What is ADEM? ADEM or Affirmasi Pendidikan Menengah (Affirmation of secondary school) is one of the government’s efforts to increase education in the 3T area. In this case, Papua land has the most dedication due to the lacking of education states. In this case, the program is under the Ministry of education and culture (Kemendikbud).
The main purpose of the program is to prepare the indigenous students of the land to get the standard education and knowledge in par of Bali and Java. ADEM program also provides a scholarship for an eminent student ranked 1-10 in school. However, the students on the middle school level will also have a strict selection process to win the scholarship.
Aside from the scholarship, ADEM also provides support for educators and students during a pandemic. In this case, the official ADEM Kemendikbud mentions ranges of support in the form of supply, internet quota, education fund, subsidy salaries, volunteer, and many more. The information highlights support on West Papua and Papua at the middle and the end of 2021.
ADEM As Part Of Education Program Acceleration
In general, ADEM itself is part of the education program acceleration for the 3T regions. Papua land is one of the areas that the program targeted. ADEM is also known as the secondary education affirmation program. It is meant to provide support and scholarship for locals, thus it helps increase the human resource.
The two programs are implemented starting from 2020 and have produced many excellent graduates. ADEM also goes along with ADIK, a higher education affirmation program. Both programs help form high educated and excellent human resources, so people from the 3T regions will not get underestimated anymore.
With better human resources, the region can process and develop their resource better. Locals will have a higher chance to get into a better job position, improve poverty condition, has more willingness to change into better, and improve the region in general. It can help both Papua and West Papua gain more popularity, potential, and income in the future.
ADEM Support During Pandemic
However, the pandemic situation has turned the table. The problem of the deadly virus of COVID 19 obstructs Indonesian education and general activities. It includes worsening education situation, inability to access study material and gain enough income to continue study. Everyone got the impact, and so does the locals of Papua. But, ADEM and Kemendikbud offer ranges of supports.
1. Internet Quota
To support the new and good quality of distance education, Kemendikbud initiated to provide a free internet quota for students. It is said that the internet fund will be continued during the prolonged pandemic situation. The additional support infuses around 2.3 trillion rupiahs to provide internet funding for over 26.8 million students, teachers, and lecturers.
The internet quota was given from September to November 2021. It is not only for west Papua or Papua, but the internet subsidy is also available for other regions. For the lectures and college students, the amount is around 15 GB/month. Elementary to high school students get 10 GB, but the teacher will get 12GB. Meanwhile, kindergarten schooling will get 7 GB per month.
2. UKT Or Education Fee For College
UK or primary education fee (for college) is also given for students that have been struck with the pandemic situation. The total fund reaches about 745 billion rupiahs, given a limitation of 2.4 million rupiahs per student. The support was meant for students that are currently active in college.
3. Subsidy Wages for Education staff
Not only for the students, educators and staff also get a subsidy fund during a pandemic. The total budget is roughly about 3.7 trillion rupiahs. The number of the fund is meant to support more than 2 million educators and non-civil education staff. It also includes 48 thousand cultural art performers.
4. Volunteer
West Papua and many other 34 provinces in Indonesia also get a hefty amount of volunteers to help handle the Covid-19 situation. The program includes 15 thousand college student volunteers under the Kampus Mengajar program. The total fund to support the program reach 353 billion rupiahs that cover 34 provinces and more than 8.300 schools.
Considering how ADEM is one of the most recent education programs in the region, it implements ranges of effort to support students in need. In Papua land, the program supplies a range of supports including internet quota, education fee, volunteer, and support for education staff. It also supports local studying in long-distance teaching.