InfoSAWIT, MANGGARAI BARAT — Efforts to improve human resources quality in the palm oil plantation sector continue to be carried out by the Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP). One of them is through the Palm Oil Scholarship Program Socialization in the context of Gender Mainstreaming (PUG) held at the Setda Hall, Manggarai Barat Regency Office, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Tuesday (28/10/2025).
The event was attended by around 150 students from palm oil worker families and representatives from 15 schools in Manggarai Barat Regency and 25 schools in Manggarai Timur Regency. The activity aims to introduce more widely the BPDP Palm Oil Scholarship Program that provides higher education opportunities for children of palm oil workers throughout Indonesia.
Also present was the Deputy Regent of Manggarai Barat, dr. Yulianus Weng, M.Kes, who expressed appreciation for BPDP's initiative in providing educational opportunities to the young generation in NTT.
“In 2023, around 7,000 people in Manggarai Barat worked in the palm oil sector, and this number continues to increase until 2025,” said Yulianus in an official statement received by InfoSAWIT, Thursday (6/11/2025). “However, educational challenges in our area are still significant, ranging from limited access, low literacy, to socio-economic conditions. The BPDP Palm Oil Scholarship Program becomes an important answer because it can open the way for NTT children to obtain better education and help build the region.”
Meanwhile, Acting Director of Law and Cooperation at BPDP, Zaid Burhan Ibrahim, explained that around 15–20 percent of palm oil harvesting workforce in Indonesia comes from NTT. According to him, NTT people are known for their high work ethic and unyielding spirit, which now needs to be directed so that their young generation can also become professionals and leaders in the plantation sector.
“It’s time for NTT people to be known not only as palm oil workers, but also as innovators and leaders in this sector,” said Zaid. “The Palm Oil Scholarship is a real step to open equal opportunities for all children of the nation to pursue higher education with full support from BPDP.”
Through this program, BPDP provides comprehensive support starting from tuition fees, transportation, books, to living needs during the study period. Until 2025, more than 9,000 students from various regions have benefited from this program, with 4,000 new recipients joining this year, a number that increased from the previous year.
In addition to providing educational access, this activity also affirms BPDP's commitment to Gender Mainstreaming (PUG). The program emphasizes the importance of equality for men and women to obtain the same rights in education and careers in the plantation sector.
“We need the active role of teachers to guide students to dare to dream and seize opportunities. Equality means every child, regardless of gender or background, has the same right to advance,” added Zaid.
The socialization activity was also packaged attractively, one of which through interactive sessions like the Kahoot educational game, enthusiastically followed by the participants.
With this activity, BPDP affirms its commitment to continue expanding the reach of the Palm Oil Scholarship Program to remote areas of Indonesia, including NTT. The hope is that the young generation from palm oil worker families can grow into superior human resources that are competitive, have character, and are capable of leading the future of a sustainable and fair palm oil industry. (T2)
