Many "homework" in the country, LPDP Scholarship Awardee Asked to Return to Build the Motherland

JAKARTA (JUNE 26, 2023) - Students who receive overseas scholarships from the government should return after completing their study period. All the facilities at the study site should not be a reason to forget to build the homeland.

This message was conveyed by Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini to 200 Scholarship Recipients of the Education Fund Management Institution (LPDP), at the Departure Preparation (PK) session of Batch 205 of LPDP Scholarship Recipients with the theme Red and White Reflection: I had to left to Coming Back.

This message responds to the many LPDP awardees (scholarship recipients) who are reluctant to return home after graduation. Most of them argued that it was difficult to develop knowledge due to the lack of facilities provided by the state. "Well, if it's difficult, yes. If it was easy, you wouldn't need to go to high school," she said on Friday (23/6).

According to her, live in developed countries certainly provides the development of innovation and problem solving. This is different from the conditions in Indonesia which is a developing country. But said the Minister, that's where a person's intelligence and problem-solving skills are tested.

"Over there (abroad), the conditions are established, everything is organized. If everything is established, then who will be smart or intelligent. That is precisely our challenge. If we want to win over ourselves and the knowledge we have, when it is difficult, we are tested whether we are smart or not," said the Minister.

The awardees were reminded not to be interested with all the comforts abroad. As a scholarship recipient financed by public money, it has to return to serve the country. "We all leave financed by public money, but then when we get all that, we don't want to go back," said the Minister.

In front of the awardees, the Minister of Social Affairs showed the Ministry of Social programs that reach areas that are difficult to access. Such as sunflower cultivation in Wini, North Central Timor Regency, NTT, and shipbuilding in Mamberamo Regency and Asmat Regency in Papua. In her role as Minister of Social Affairs, she even had to go through dangers such as when she was in a conflict area in Puncak Jaya, or when going down a river inhabited by crocodiles.

In addition, the Minister also showed the Ministry of Social Affairs program that reaches and empowers people with disabilities. For this reason, the Minister of Social Affairs advised the awardees to return and serve to build their respective regions because there is still a lot of homework to be done for the progress of all Indonesian people.

"Who else will they ask for help if not to you who are better and have higher knowledge," she said.

Meanwhile, a unique event occurred where an awardee from the Aru Islands of Maluku asked the Minister of Social Affairs to come visit her area when she finished studying later. However, the Minister immediately scheduled to come to the Aru Islands in the near future.

LPDP President Director Andin Hadiyanto said that Social Minister Risma is a world figure whose contributions have been recognized globally. Social Affairs Minister Risma's exemplary leadership was even applied directly by Andin. "This lady (Minister of Social Affairs Risma) is my idol figure, until whatever she does I imitate," she said when giving a speech.

She hopes that the inspiration session that presents the Minister of Social Affairs can bring the aura of a world-class leader to the awardees who will continue the current leadership relay.

In conclusion, Andin wrote seven messages from the Minister of Social Affairs to the awardees, namely do not be inferior, absorb as much knowledge as possible, dare to face challenges, do not become traitors, istiqomah, always learn to think, and of course have to return.