The Government of Pamekasan Regency, East Java, provided scholarship assistance to 2,000 students studying at 63 Islamic boarding schools in the region.

"Students who we provide scholarship assistance through three channels," said the Regent of Pamekasan Baddrut Tamam in Pamekasan, Madura, Friday (10/7).

First, the path of poverty or the condition of poor parents, the second path of achievement and the third path of hafiz or memorizing the Koran.

This santri scholarship, he said, is the first time in Pamekasan and is a priority program for the Pamekasan Regent, Baddrut Tamam and his deputy Raja'e.

The students who get the scholarship are students who want to enter the educational institution of Junior High School (SLTP), both junior high school (SMP) and madrasah tsanawiyah (MTs).

The regent explained that the scholarships to students are for daily living needs, such as food, the need to buy books and various types of completeness for learning activities at Islamic boarding schools, namely Rp. 500 thousand in cash per month.

"Of the three routes we use, the most are from poor and underprivileged families," he said, explaining.

Of the 63 Islamic boarding schools that are partners with the Pamekasan Regency Government in the student scholarship program, the number differs from one pesantren to another.

"There are 20 to 30 people, and at most 80 people. So, between 20 and 80 people," said the regent.

Specifically for the student scholarship program, which is sourced from the APBD, the district government also appoints supervisors.

In addition to being tasked with providing guidance and direction as well as being a mediator between the district government and Islamic boarding school educational institutions, the task of the supervisor is also to provide routine guidance to students. The material is about religion, nationality, and entrepreneurship.

"So, once a month, mentors from professionals and practitioners come to Islamic boarding schools where they study, to provide material related to religion, nationality and entrepreneurship," he said.

These three materials are considered important so that students have a unified understanding of religion and nationality and the importance of having entrepreneurial insight as a provision for later when they have finished studying at Islamic boarding schools.

Previously, the Head of the People's Welfare (Kesra) Section of the Pamekasan Regency Government, Halifaturrahman, explained that according to the schedule, the scholarship recipients had to start living in the pesantren on July 15, 2020.