Surabaya families face scholarship loss and new income programs

DPRD Surabaya member Imam Syafi'i reported that recent changes to the city’s poverty‑decile system have left several families ineligible for education scholarships. He cited three cases: a widowed mother of three whose decile shifted from 2 to 6, causing her eldest child to lose a university scholarship; a retired kindergarten teacher’s son whose decile of 6 now blocks his high‑school aid; and a university student with a 4.0 GPA whose scholarship application was rejected because her family’s decile rose above the eligibility threshold. “Saya bertemu tiga warga yang menjadi korban kebijakan penentuan kemiskinan,” he said.

At the same time, the East Java branch of the Perindo Party launched a program to strengthen household economics by training housewives in marketable skills such as jelly‑art production. Party leader Ahmad Zazuli explained, “Kami terus melakukan upaya‑upaya penguatan ekonomi… untuk membina dan memberdayakan ibu‑ibu rumah tangga agar memiliki keterampilan yang bisa menghasilkan tambahan pendapatan.” The initiative aims to improve family resilience amid high food prices and limited job opportunities.