Implementation of Policy Regarding the Program Desa Sarjana in Malinau District

Abstract

Higher education is a strategic pillar in human resource development, especially in rural areas with limited access to education, such as Malinau Regency, North Kalimantan Province. To overcome educational disparities and expand access to higher education for rural youth, the Malinau Regency Government established the Program Desa Sarjana policy through Regional Regulation Number 7 of 2022. This study aims to examine the implementation of this policy and identify the supporting and inhibiting factors. This study uses a qualitative approach with a descriptive research type. The policy implementation theory used is the Van Meter and Van Horn model, which includes six main variables: policy standards and objectives, resources, characteristics of the implementing organization, attitudes of implementers, inter-organizational communication, and the external environment. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation of informants from the Community and Village Empowerment Agency (DPMD), program implementation staff, and Program Desa Sarjana (PDS) participants. The results show that the Program Desa Sarjana has been implemented per the established regulations, but still faces various challenges in the field. Supporting factors in implementing this program include political commitment from the local government, regulatory and budgetary support, and high enthusiasm among village communities for higher education.

On the other hand, the dominant inhibiting factors include limited scholarship quotas, a lack of higher education infrastructure, and low awareness among some communities of the importance of continuing their education to the undergraduate level. This study concludes that the Sarjana Village Program is a progressive and relevant affirmative action in the context of development in remote areas such as Malinau. However, for its implementation to be more optimal, continuous evaluation, expansion of targets, strengthening of implementing institutions, and improvement of educational literacy among the village community are needed.