Modern education and economic progress are something that has always been coveted by all the people of West Papua so far. Economic opportunities for growth are always there, as is education. But has there been any progress over time?
We must admit that education in Indonesia has not always been evenly distributed even though a proper education is one indicator of whether a country deserves to be categorized as successful or not. Educated resources will build a good country’s economy.
Talking about the economy, there are many basic factors that need to be considered, including determining what type of investment is suitable and how to utilize existing natural resources. And this brings us to everything about the provinces in eastern Indonesia.
For decades, this province in eastern Indonesia has been the least developed, even though it has enormous potential for growth. So, what exactly should local and central governments of Indonesia do to develop wealth in this area?
Overview on the Education in West Papua
Education is always important, no matter where a person is, what is his goal, the main thing is that education always has a role to make it happen. Quality human resources always pay attention to the level of education they have.
Lack of attention to the education sector can have a bad effect on the progress of the nation. Like what happened to the education sector in West Papua in the past.
The way of teaching is not so perfect if we look at the education sector in the western part of the island of Papua. Apart from the lack of awareness of the local community, access and equalization efforts from the government have also not been carried out properly.
Since the first, very few developments have been made and tend to be ineffective. The community is more confident in all activities based on ethnicity and culture, including basic surviving skills, rather than developing education.
Schools are still difficult to find and for students who want to take the educational path will also be difficult with access that is not optimal. Some programs have been tried to be implemented, but overall, none of them can be excellent.
Economic Development Opportunities in West Papua
Although education is not perfect, it must also be acknowledged that the potential of this province is very large. There are many opportunities to make this province an asset for the country to develop its economy, but it must be profitable for the residents there as well.
There are many factors that become the background of our claim to the potential of this province which is located at the eastern tip of Indonesia. So, some of the reasons why West Papua deserves to be said as one of the most promising provinces in Indonesia are:
- Export
We’ll start with a discussion about goods that can be exported to this province. In general, the economy is still supported by the presence of traditional handicrafts, but on the maritime side, seaweed and pearls are the main ones here.
- Tourism
We can no longer doubt the beauty and beauty of tourist destinations in this province. Starting from mountains such as Arfak Mountain to maritime tourism in Raja Ampat Regency always has its own charm to lure tourists.
- Agriculture and Plantation
As an area that still stores goods and conservative culture, agriculture and plantations are still one of the economic supports for this province. But regarding the harvest, what is in West Papua cannot be underestimated.
Corn and bananas are arguably the most common agricultural ingredients. It is proven by the fact that in 2020, as many as 2300 tons of corn and more than 1.5 million tons of bananas are the total numbers of agriculture and plantations in the province.
- Mining
We certainly know how much potential the mining industry has in the Papua region and its surroundings. And the west also does not want to be left behind because it is very rich in natural oil, natural gas, and coal in trillions of cubic feet per day.
Is West Papua Developed from Time to Time?
So, out of all that potential, are there any developments going on there? The province, which is currently occupied by 3.5 million people and divided into 250 different tribes, can be said to have developed quite significantly in recent years.
There have been many school constructions to support public education and more local communities have been relied on to contribute to utilizing resources and advancing the country’s economy. Starting from the maritime sector, mining, and manufacturing.
Equality does occur, as evidenced by the province’s economic growth in the first quarter of 1.5% thanks to the construction of the Trans Papua Highway. But in the second quarter, where Covid was very rampant in Papua, the economy was negative at the number of 2.39%
Indonesia is known for its abundant natural resources coupled with equalization efforts which are being intensively promoted, including in one of the provinces of Papua. In West Papua, the economy is starting to grow as education also starting to become more equitable.
