YOGYAKARTA – Minister of National Education, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nuh, met approximately 500 students who receive Education Scholarships for Excellent and Disadvantaged Students (Bidik Misi) provided by the Ministry of National Education, Wednesday (12/1), at the University Club of UGM. At the quite relaxed meeting, Mohammad Nuh gives encouragement to students to be excellent in academics fields.
Mohammad Nuh makes use of the visit to ensure that the receiver of the Bidik Misi scholarship is the target deserving. He did not hesitate to greet the students one by one, asking about their family economic conditions. "Who goes to college by bus?" Nuh asked the students. Some students raised their hands spontaneously. He also asked one student about the constraints in academic activity.
The atmosphere became emotional when Nuh asks a student whose one of her parents already passed away to advance to the stage and stood beside him. Nuh also tells about himself who had become an orphan since fifth grade. In fact, the economic condition of his family was just average. His mother had to work very hard to send him and his brothers to school. Thanks to the determination and willpower, Nuh’s brothers completed their education up to high levels. "The key to success is the prayer of parents and hard work," he said.
To the student, Nuh said the government remains committed to provide opportunities for students who are unable to continue their education at college level. "Why do governments provide the scholarship (Bidik Misi)? Because it is hard for the poor to go to college," he said.
"It is no longer the age when the poor is prohibited from studying in college. The important thing is the spirit and the determination," he added.
UGM Student Affairs Director, Drs. Haryanto, M.Sc., said that in 2010, UGM manages 62 scholarship sources amounting up to 26 million Rupiah for 9692 students. "About 31 percent of all UGM students have earned scholarships," he said. Meanwhile, 500 students are given free tuition for 3-4 year of college through Excellent and Disadvantaged Student Search scholarship (PBUTM) and Bidik Misi.
After meeting the students, Mohammad Nuh visited the parent’s house of two student recipients of the Sidik Misi scholarship, namely Yuniasih (19) and Aminin (19). The Minister of Education visied Yuniasih’s parents in Blunyahrejo, Karangwaru Village, Tegalrejo sub-district, Yogyakarta. In the 2×4 meter house the Minister and the Rector had time to eat lunch with the owner of the house. Subsequently, the Minister also visited the parents of Aminin in Samirono. Here, the Minister and the Rector were offered banana dishes. "Please, sir. It’s the fruit that we usually sell," said the homeowner who works daily as a fruit seller.