Lahat, October 3, 2025 – The Lahat Regency Government continues to affirm its commitment to providing inclusive and equitable higher education for its citizens. Through the Beladas Program (Beasiswa Anak Lahat Jadi Sarjana / Lahat Children to Become Graduates Scholarship), hundreds of local youths now have wider opportunities to continue their education without being burdened by tuition fees.
This program is officially overseen by Lahat Regent Regulation Number 20 of 2025 and two regent decrees regulating technical guidelines and verification teams. Its presence is not just a symbol of care but a tangible strategy to produce a young generation capable of contributing to development while raising the standard of living for their families.
During a recent technical meeting, an atmosphere of great enthusiasm was felt among regional officials, sub-district heads, and the parents of the scholarship recipients. A total of 177 prospective students participated in the selection, and 96 were declared eligible to receive the aid. Selection was carried out by considering the level of family welfare, with recipients coming from categories desil 1 to 5—meaning families ranging from less privileged to extreme poverty.
The distribution of scholarship recipients is quite diverse, but the most prominent is Universitas Terbuka (UT). A total of 51 Lahat students who passed the program are registered as UT students, followed by Universitas Sriwijaya with 19 students, and several other well-known campuses in Indonesia. This data shows how UT is increasingly relevant as a chosen university that bridges the gap for people to obtain higher education without the barriers of distance and cost.
The Deputy Regent of Lahat, Widia Ningsih, emphasized that Beladas is a flagship program that will continue to be prioritized. “This Beladas Program has been made our priority. We agree that education is the most essential thing to support the national Golden Indonesia program. This scholarship is tangible proof of the Lahat Regency Government’s commitment to increasing access to quality education for the community, especially those from less privileged families,” she said.
She added that this scholarship is not just opening the way to college but also an opportunity to build a better future. “Our hope is that the children receiving the scholarship can utilize this opportunity to the maximum. Eventually, they are expected to be able to uplift the dignity of their families and escape the cycle of poverty,” she added.
More than just an education program, Beladas is also part of a concrete step to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 1 (No Poverty). Equitable and inclusive education will open the path to a more prosperous, competitive, and self-reliant society.
Universitas Terbuka’s position in this program reaffirms its role as the forefront of distance education in Indonesia. With its flexibility and wide access, UT has proven itself to be a real solution for people from various backgrounds to achieve a bachelor’s degree without having to leave their hometown.
Through Beladas, Lahat is not just producing university graduates but is also planting a long-term social investment: ushering in a generation ready to become agents of change, strengthening human resources, and encouraging sustainable development in Bumi Seganti Setungguan (Lahat’s nickname).
