Issues: `Mozez Lawa: Student in-waiting'

Thu, 06/25/2009 11:09 AM  |  Reader's Forum

Mozez Lawa dreams of being a leading physicist like his idols Albert Einstein and Richard Phillips Feynman, but for this bright 20-year-old from a small remote village, getting there won't be easy. In many ways it is not an impossible dream: Mozez, who lives in a kampung on the outskirts of Kupang regency in East Nusa Tenggara, was the only high school student in the province to have been identified as having a very superior IQ. The hard part is that Mozez, born eighth of nine children, is one of the many for whom going to university is not possible for a simple and not uncommon reason - he and his family just don't have the money.

His father, Christofel Lawa, 67, is retired, receiving only a pension earned after years in a low-ranking position in the Kupang regency agriculture department. His mother, 53-year-old Agustina Lawa, is a housewife. Now, in his daily life, his genius is being neglected. After finishing school, Mozez had little choice but to take a job working in the river, where he dug out sand and stones for sale. His sole motivation is to collect enough money so that he can go to university later. After all, working as a laborer isn't his life ambition. "I want to become a physicist or mining expert. I have the ability," Mozez says. "But what can I do when my parents don't have enough money?"

Your comments:
It's a shame if Mozez Lawa is not given the chance to pursue his dream. The government should have a fund to cater for such needy and deserving cases.

If Mozez were a Malaysian, he would surely be offered a scholarship to study at one of our universities, or even sent abroad depending on language skills.

If the government lacks the funds, then what are some of the big government companies doing?

Surely Pertamina and most of the telecommunications companies could easily sponsor his undergraduate studies.

If you come across young Malaysian students in Bandung, chances are they come from villages or low-income, urban families sent by the government to study engineering, medicine or science.

In other words, we should not lay to waste such talent like Mozez at a time when every country's progress depends on the availability of trained manpower.

Let's hope Mozez's case attracts the attention he deserves from the government and, not from the loudmouths in the House of Representatives, who behave like little Napoleons.

Alex Fergu

For Mozes Lawa, Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) offers scholarships for genius students like you.

For detailed information, you can visit this Website: http://www.itbuntuksemua.com/

Rully Rahadian

Can any organization like the Post set up some kind of link for poor, able students to receive financial or other assistance from people like me?

Having worked in Indonesia I would like to help. The future of Indonesia lies in the abilities of such youngsters.

MP

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