Universitas Gadjah Mada reinstates to enlarge student enrollment from the most left behind, remote, and outlying regions to be able to enjoy quality education.
Vice Rector for Academic and Students, Prof. dr. Iwan Dwiprahasto, M.Med.Sc., Ph.D, said the affirmative policy was encouraged to give opportunities for student candidates from those regions in order that they can reinforce their local government after graduating.
"Affirmative policy is needed because we understand the varied education between regions. Access to higher learning has to be opened so that students from those regions can improve education quality,” said Iwan D Prahasto.
He said many students from East Indonesia, especially for graduate school, to get learning opportunities at UGM. More students from high schools/vocational schools are required to get higher learning education though.
"UGM is trying to enlarge the number of students for S1 and Vocational Schools from those regions. We’re also trying to assist potential students for them not to fail along the way,” he said.
Rector of UGM, Prof. Dr. Pratikno, M.Soc., Sc, added it is a heavy duty to increase education access, especially for higher learning. Access to students from the most left behind, remote and outlying regions should be opened wider.
"Through the program of quality access improvement and fair education, education can resolve poverty, ignorance and uncivilisation,” he said.
"The north economy is challenged by economic power in the south, such as China, Brasil and India. Indonesia followed in the second rank along with Mexico, South Africa and Turkey. Higher learning institutions like UGM, obviously, has to be able to generate educated human resource,” Pratikno said.