Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) - The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) will work with 340 universities in Indonesia to carry out several programs to accelerate efforts to reduce childhood stunting in the country.
One of the programs that will be implemented this year will be a Kedaireka matching fund, deputy for population control at BKKBN, Dwi Listyawardani, informed here on Friday.
The BKKBN will become a partner for universities and immediately submit a proposal to the Directorate General of Higher Education (Dikti) at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek).
"It is hoped that more than 340 universities in Indonesia can get funding from Dikti to support the acceleration of stunting reduction," Listyawardani said.
BKKBN has proposed a minimum budget of Rp110 billion for the fund matching program, she added. Later, the partner universities will receive funding from Dikti, depending on the proposal submitted by each university.
"The better the proposal, the more strategic the proposal, it will be prioritized," Listyawardani informed.
According to her, stunting handling is a priority program in the Kedaireka platform. She affirmed that the BKKBN has also met with consortiums in each province, with the hope that the program would run smoothly.
The agency is planning to assist as many as 318 districts and cities in the country through the program in 2022, she disclosed.
University students will go to ten priority villages in each region under the compulsory community work (KKN) and the freedom to learn and independent campus (MBKM) programs, she added.
"This is a very real form of thinking. Each party is carrying out its duties and functions by using its own funding source, but running in synergy," she remarked.
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