Presidential Scholarship Program for Leaders of the Future

Jakarta (Antara) - The government is designing the "Indonesian Presidential Scholarship" program to prepare a golden generation who will become the future leaders of the nation, an official has said. "The Indonesian Presidential Scholarship program is designed for a golden generation as the future leaders of this nation," presidential special staff for economy and development, Firmansyah, said during a press meeting here, Saturday. After serving as the head of state for 10 years, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono found it important to improve the quality of human resources through this scholarship program, he pointed out. Besides that the government has also planned to make Indonesia a country with a strong economy, equitable welfare, stable political rule and security in 2045, or 100 years after independence, he added. "We want Indonesia to be a developed and respected nation in 2045 or 100 years after independence. Even the sooner the better," he said, adding that in President Yudhoyono's view, the key toward that direction is strong and qualified human resources. The Indonesian Presidential Scholarship program is different from the others because the final selection of the recipient is in the hands of the president, according to him. President Yudhoyono wanted such a scholarship program to remain sustainable and continued by his successor, Firmansyah explained. (*)