Signing MoU, State Polytechnic of Bangka Belitung (Polman Negeri Babel) Backed by APKASINDO to Host Palm Oil Human Resource Scholarship Program
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Polman Negeri Babel and APKASINDO of the Bangka Belitung Islands Province, witnessed firsthand by the Regent of Bangka, Fery Insani, M.M.
The Bangka Belitung State Manufacturing Polytechnic (Polman Babel) and the Indonesian Oil Palm Farmers Association (APKASINDO) of Bangka Belitung Islands Province signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the development of the agricultural and oil palm plantation sectors through vocational education.
The signing ceremony took place on the second floor of the Joint Lecture Building on Wednesday (July 29, 2026). It was attended by the Director of Polman Babel, I Made Andik Setiawan, Ph.D., and his staff, as well as the leadership of APKASINDO Bangka Belitung Islands Province. The event also received a positive response with the attendance of the Regent of Bangka, Fery Insani, M.M., and his delegation.
In his remarks, Polman Babel Director I Made Andik Setiawan, Ph.D., stated that the MoU signing should not merely result in administrative cooperation; rather, it must be followed up with concrete programs and ideas that benefit the community, particularly within the agricultural and oil palm plantation sectors.
I Made noted that Polman Babel focuses on the development of applied sciences, aiming to address the various challenges faced by both the community and industrial companies.
"Praise be to God, the collaboration between APKASINDO and the vocational institution Polman Babel allows us to contribute solutions that meet educational support needs," he explained.
Meanwhile, the Regent of Bangka, Fery Insani, M.M., expressed his gratitude for the invitation from Polman Babel—attended alongside APKASINDO—noting that Polman Babel possesses a strong vocational education character, prioritizing practical learning over theory," he added.
Fery explained that various issues currently persist within the oil palm plantation sector—affecting companies such as PT Sumarko, PT Sawindo, and PT GML—and emphasized that Polman Babel, as a vocational institution, is well-positioned to provide insights and contributions applicable to the community in the fields of education and human resource development," he asserted.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Bangka Belitung Islands Chapter of APKASINDO expressed support for the initiative to designate Polman Babel as a participating institution for the Palm Oil Human Resources Scholarship program. He noted that the palm oil sector is a cornerstone of the Bangka Belitung Islands' economy, with over 300,000 hectares of plantations providing significant employment and supporting the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of farming families.
He added that the Bangka Belitung Islands Province currently hosts 25 palm oil mills and one refinery. Furthermore, plans are in place to build and operate 15 additional palm oil mills, a move expected to further strengthen the region's palm oil industry potential.
"It is only fitting that Bangka Belitung Province has a campus participating in the Palm Oil Human Resources Scholarship program in partnership with the Oil Palm Plantation Fund Management Agency (BPDP)—an initiative for Polman Babel that enjoys the full support of the Bangka Belitung chapter of APKASINDO," he stated.
The top priority is ensuring that the children of palm oil farmers, company employees, and the region's brightest young people have the opportunity to pursue higher education through scholarships funded by the palm oil sector via the BPDP," he concluded.
