Surabaya (Jawa Pos: 18/07/06) Surabaya municipal government and PT HM Sampoerna signed a MoU on School Quality Improvement Program at the city hall. Through the SQIP program, the cigarette company will provide support for two selected schools in Surabaya.

Elan Merdy, Chief Operating Officer of Sampoerna Foundation, said the support will be given in the form of school management assistant, curriculum, school library and extra-curricular activities development.
Two senior high schools that will be selected are those ranked in the middle by the Surabaya Education Agency. “We hope other 278 senior high and vocational schools in Surabaya will adapt this program as well and become schools of high quality,” he said.

Aside of SQIP, Elan added, Sampoerna Foundation has granted scholarships for over 50 Senior High School students and 19 university students with outstanding achievement in Surabaya. “It is not only in Surabaya. Previously, we have introduced this SQIP program in Malang and Pasuruan. Later we will introduce this program in Yogyakarta, and in the future, we expect to reach 33 provinces in Indonesia,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, Surabaya Mayor Bambang D.H. said city administration welcomes any parties willing to participate in improving school quality, like PT HM Sampoerna did. "Surabaya is a fast growing city. Therefore, students and teachers should be able to catch up with the rapid development," he says.