Japan Pledges to Help Papua Send Native Students to Fukuoka

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Japanese government has hinted that it is ready to help native Papuans take their graduate diploma in agricultural studies in Fukuoka Prefecture.

Japan is committed to making the Papua provincial government's vocational program successful, said Education Attaché at the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta, Takahashi Yusuke.

As of this year, there are six native Papuans opting for higher education in Fukuoka, he informed in a press statement that ANTARA received in Jayapura on Monday.

The Japanese government's support would cover the administrative processes for immigration and cooperation, and Japanese language and cultural training, Yusuke said.

On behalf of the Japanese government, he praised the Papua provincial administration's scholarship scheme for native Papuans studying in Fukuoka.

The provincial government has made the right decision to send native Papuan students to Fukuoka to pursue vocational programs at universities, he remarked.

Fukuoka is one of the Japanese cities whose agricultural sector is well-developed, and its universities are listed in the world class groups, he said.

In Japan, the number of international university students from Indonesia is large enough, he said. But, the figure is expected to go up, including students from Papua, he added.

Meanwhile, assistant director of the Japan Foundation, Hiruta Mari, said she would help make the vocational program for native Papuan students a success.

The Japan Foundation would provide Papua’s scholarship recipients with Japanese language teaching materials and language training with trainers, she informed.

Secretary of the Papua Human Resources Development Agency's (BPSDM's) team for educational cooperation, Karsudi, had visited the Japanese embassy in Jakarta recently.

The visit was aimed at following up on the cooperation in human resources development with the government of Japan's Fukuoka Prefecture, Karsudi said.

During the visit, BPSDM team members also met with representatives from the Japan Foundation to get information on the Japanese language and the cultural education program, he added.

Under the Papua provincial government's scholarship scheme, 60 native Papuans would be sent to Fukuoka to pursue graduate diplomas in agricultural studies, he said.

The native Papuan students would be trained at Japanese universities in the prefecture so they can gain expertise in agriculture, he added.

Read: Papua Exploring Cooperation with Japan to Develop Human Resources

ANTARA