Titian Foundation helps organise scholarships for the Bayat School children to further pursue the improvement of their education. The scholarship programme targets children that come from poor families. This year the scholarship was given to 85 graduates of Bayat Secondary Shool who wanted to pursue their studies at Vocational Schools. The scholarship will last for 3 consecutive years. Close monitoring and an assistance program have also been implemented to ensure that this process goes smoothly.
The aim is to equip the students with sufficient skills and knowledge to be independent workers. With the skills they gathered from the schools, it is hoped that soon after graduating they are able to open up a small business. This will provide them with a steady income and at the same time reduce the increasing unemployment rate in Indonesia. CLSA Indonesia and Titian Foundation are proud to announce their partnership to fund and run this programme. To ensure sustainability, more help with the funding is required.
Titian Foundation’s Scholarship Program
In 2008 Titian launched its Scholarship program, with the first batch of recipients constituting eighty-three children from SMPN I (National Junior High School) Bayat, Klaten, to help them pursue further studies at vocational schools. The Scholarship program targets children that come from poor families and is valid for a period of three consecutive years.
Titian’s selection process for its Scholarship program is not based on academic merit. Rather it is granted to those children who wish to remain in school but whose parents cannot afford to pay the fees required for them to proceed to graduation. The aim of this Program is to equip the students with sufficient skills and knowledge to become independent workers. With the skills they gather from the schools, it is hoped that soon after graduating they are able to open up a small business, providing them with a steady income and the tools to secure employment.
The Scholarship entitles its recipients to a one-time joining fee to the vocational school of their choice; three years school fees, books, school uniform and lunch. Close monitoring and an assistance program have also been implemented to ensure that this process goes smoothly. Two individuals have been tasked to perform the dual function of mentor and supervisor to follow the children’s progress during the course of the program. These mentors regularly visit the schools to meet with the teachers, visit the students’ homes to talk with and encourage parents to support their children and hold students’ get-togethers to forge a strong social bond among them as a form of ongoing support and encouragement for these children to reach their dreams.