Jakarta. The Alumni Association of the Indonesian University of Education, or IKA UPI, awarded scholarships worth Rp 34.5 million to 30 students from eight faculties and a remote campus of the Bandung-based university during a ceremony on Wednesday.

The scholarship funds were given to recipients selected from initially 86 applicants based on their academic achievements, organizational activities, and family backgrounds.

IKA UPI Chairman Enggartiasto Lukita admitted that the amount of the scholarship funds remain far from the actual needs but it's a good start to revive alumni donations after a long hiatus.

"We received reports that 2,124 students have requested a delay in tuition payment for this semester alone. In this regard, the amount of financial assistance that we can offer is very inadequate," said Enggartiasto, who followed the event through a video conference from Jakarta.

"However, it represents the restart of the IKA UPI scholarship program after a pause for some time. We plan a comprehensive fundraising scenario in the future with the collaboration of the alumni and businesses,” the former trade minister said.

The association puts the scholarship programs high on its agenda to help students from low-income families and Enggartiasto encouraged all alumni to participate by routinely donating to the program.

“We were told that some beneficiaries of this scholarship program struggle so hard to conclude their education at UPI, two of them have to shelter in a mosque because they can't afford a boarding house," he said.

IKA UPI Secretary-General Najip Hendra symbolically handed the scholarship grants at the association's secretariat in Bandung, accompanied by his deputy Jakiatin Nisa who is in charge of the program.

Jakiatin said it costs at least Rp 42.4 million for a student to complete the study at UPI for a four-year period covering tuition fees, transportation costs, and house rent. 

If a dozen of donors get involved in the scholarship program, each of them will only need to pay less than Rp 100,000 every month for three years to provide a full scholarship to a student in need.

"It means everyone can take part in this humanitarian effort to produce a competent and dedicated university graduate by donating Rp 98,150 per month," Jakiatin said.

Donors are given options to donate in their own preferences. For instance, a parliament member can choose to award scholarship grants to students from his constituency only, Jakiatin added.

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