Indonesians to Receive Master's Degrees Courtesy U.S. Taxpayers

[Steve Peacock]

Indonesians to Receive Master's Degrees Courtesy U.S. Taxpayers
By Steve Peacock

A program providing training and scholarships to Indonesian professionals is about to be expanded by the Obama Administration, which hopes to increase the “number of Indonesian future leaders holding advanced degrees (Masters) from U.S. and in-country institutions of higher education.”

According to a Statement of Work (SOW) posted today to the FedBizOpps database, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking contractors capable of carrying out Phase II of the “Program to Extend Scholarships and Training to Achieve Sustainable Impacts," or PRESTASI. (Solicitation #SOL-497-12-000004).

The selected vendor will continue to assist existing Phase I participants while identifying and placing new candidates for the extended program—which will cost an additional $16-$20 million.

U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor (Feb. 28, 2012)

[Steve Peacock]

Meanwhile, I am $70,000 in debt, several credits short of my masters, and my taxes will help people overseas to get their degrees first!

[madengr]

Then they'll bring them in on H1B visas.

[bread and circuses]

Hmmm. When it comes time for me to get myself an MA in humanities, will our Indonesian friends return the favor?

[forliberty52]

I can understand helping others to achieve a higher education, but it seems unfair to not extend the same offering to US citizens. I went to college but realized that it is really a waste of money, I cannot afford to get my Bachelors and cut my losses with an Associates only to find out that now it really means nothing. Being in debt and having spend years working and going to school full time for practically nothing is a very aggravating feeling, but alas we are not in control of the government finances and they use every opportunity to remind us.