NABIRE, CENTRAL PAPUA – The Central Papua Provincial Government continues to strengthen the education sector through plans to establish a state university in Nabire Regency. The development of the higher education institution is expected to become one of the regional government’s priority programs in its 2027 development agenda.
The Head of the Central Papua Regional Development, Research, and Innovation Planning Agency (Bapperida), Elieser Yogi, stated that the plan to establish the state university has been included in the proposed 2027 work program. The regional government is currently undertaking various preparatory stages, including identifying and preparing the proposed development site in Nabire.
According to Elieser, the establishment of a state university is a strategic step toward improving the quality of human resources while expanding access to higher education for the people of Central Papua. The regional government hopes that the ongoing preparations can soon be followed by the commencement of construction next year.
The initiative also forms part of the commitment of the Governor and Deputy Governor of Central Papua to implement their priority agenda for education development throughout their five-year administration.
In addition to the proposed state university, the Central Papua Provincial Government is preparing several other education programs for 2027. These include the implementation of full-day schooling across eight regencies and the development of a boarding school-based education system.
Elieser explained that the formulation of these programs is based on evaluations of development initiatives implemented throughout 2025 and 2026. The regional government is working to identify existing needs and challenges, particularly those related to improving educational quality, ensuring equitable access to educational services, and providing adequate educational facilities and infrastructure.
Through these initiatives, the Central Papua Provincial Government hopes to ensure that education development becomes more equitable and sustainable. The establishment of a state university in Nabire is expected to serve as an important milestone in expanding access to higher education while nurturing a generation of Papuan youth who are well-educated, competitive, and capable of contributing to regional development.
