One of Indonesia’s education problems is the unstable education condition between regions. In this context, West papua provinces deserve special attention.
The low access to education is also characterized by a high dropout rate of 1.44, The 5th highest in Indonesia.
Main Problems of West papua Education
Many things can point to the main problems of education in West papua. These problems are related to limited access and the relatively low quality of education.
Access issues concern the ease with which every citizen can obtain education services.
At the same time, the quality problem is related to how the education process can be carried out effectively to produce competitive outputs.
The geographical conditions of the island also influence both. West papua Province consists of districts on hundreds of islands.
In general, 70% of the population lives in rural areas with diverse topographies.
If you look closely, most of them live in mountains and lowlands that are difficult to access.
This geographical and topographical condition is one of the obstacles for the population to access education.
On the other hand, one simple indicator commonly used to measure the quality of education is the ratio of the number of teachers to the number of students.
In addition, the availability of suitable classrooms for teaching and learning activities is also an obstacle to quality education.
The Importance of Education Quality Improvement Policies
The main challenge of education in Papua is the high education gap between West papua and other provinces in Indonesia, especially in the western region.
Until now, Papua has always been a clear example of poor access to education services, especially in remote areas.
1. Improving Teacher Qualifications
Teacher policy has come a long way in Indonesia’s education world. Several procedures have been taken to improve the quality of education in Indonesia.
In addition to teacher qualifications, the budget for improving the quality has been discussed at the government level.
The legislation then lays the foundation for teachers to teach with a minimum of bachelor degree and a teacher certification program.
The central government seeks to set standards for teachers, improve their skills, and ultimately improve the quality of education.
2. Teacher Equity Program West Papua
The gap in teacher equity between education units, levels, types of education, districts/cities and provinces is still high.
This gap shows how complex the issue of teacher structuring and equity is in Indonesia.
In several schools in Papua, it is common to find schools with 57 civil servant teachers and one principal. Teachers are generally reluctant to be place in these areas for long periods.
In addition to providing special allowances to special areas,
The government also established the Frontline Teacher program with the aim of equitable distribution of teachers to various parts of the country that still lack educators.
3. Specialized Service Education Policy
Geographical and topographical problems in Papua cause some backwardness in the pace of national development, especially in education.
The lack of public and social services availability means that the local population cannot access basic education services.
For this reason, the government has made a policy for the equitable distribution of education and the fulfilment of basic rights.
All Indonesian citizens are entitle to basic education services call Special Service Education.
This program educates students in remote or underdevelope areas, remote indigenous communities, and those experiencing natural and social disasters who are economically disadvantage.
4. Policies Related to Community Involvement
Along with the policy of educational autonomy in each region, the government provides a forum for the community to participate in the world of education actively.
It is intend that the implementation of education directly involves community participation.
Community participation is a system related to institutions from the province, district and city to the sub-district in West papua.
This institution is oblige to assist and facilitate the implementation of the school because the outcome improves community resources.