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The President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Monday (13/9/2021) conducted a series of presidential activities in Solo Raya area. Jokowi's activities began by visiting the Covid-19 Vaccination held by the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) at SMK Negeri 3 Klaten and also visited door to door vaccinations for the community in Ngledok, Segaran Village, Klaten Regency.

From Klaten Regency, Jokowi continued to visit vaccination event in Sukoharjo Regency. Jokowi visited 2 locations: Ngabeyan Village, Sukoharjo Regency and at SMAN 1 Kartasura, Sukoharjo Regency.

Furthermore, President Jokowi continued his presidential agenda to Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta to provide direction at the meeting of the Indonesian State University Rectors Council (MRPTNI) which took place in the auditorium of the Faculty of Medicine (FK).

This hybrid event was attended by Chancellors of State Universities throughout Indonesia with 35 participants attending offline and 50 participants attending online.
UNS Rector, Prof. Dr. Jamal Wiwoho, S.H., M.Hum who is also the General Chair of MRPTNI in his report conveyed the latest developments in lecture activities at state universities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia has gradually improved. This can be seen from the indicators of decreasing cases to bed occupancy or Bed Occupancy Rate (BOR) in hospitals. Taking into account these conditions, members of the MRPTNI at the beginning of this semester agreed to conduct a PTM trial," said Prof. Jamal quoted from uns.ac.id.

He explained that the implementation of PTM trials in a number of state universities was based on conditional and gradual principles. These two principles continue to be echoed by Prof. Jamal to the rectors of state universities since last February.

Prof. Jamal did not want the opening of face-to-face lecture activities on campus to cause clusters of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Therefore, the capacity of the lecture hall could only be filled to a maximum of 30 percent and students who were allowed to attend the PTM must have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
"Although there are several universities that have not tested PTM, due to the situation and conditions of the local area which are still prone to Covid-19 transmission or are at level 4," added Prof. Jamal.

At the end of his report, Prof. Jamal expressed his gratitude to President Jokowi for taking time out of his busy schedule to attend the MRPTNI event at UNS.
Quoting from the Presidential Secretariat Youtube channel, in his briefing President Jokowi said that the industrial revolution 4.0, the disruption of technology, this pandemic accelerated a big wave of world change. So that what happens is high uncertainty, therefore higher education must facilitate students to develop their talents and change old patterns in which it is time for us to live.

"Don't let the students be fenced off by too many study programs in the faculties," said President Jokowi.

Furthermore, President Jokowi asked universities to facilitate as much as possible for students to develop their talents which are not necessarily in accordance with the choice of study program, department or faculty because people could have careers that were far from the knowledge in their diploma.

He gave the example of the Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, who took a bachelor's degree in Nuclear Physics Engineering, but after graduating, he worked in banking until he reached the highest position as Director of Bank Mandiri and finally now holds the position of Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia.

So, according to President Jokowi, since taking Undergraduate study these students’ talents should be facilitated because of global uncertainty which requires students to understand more in many scientific fields. Students do not need to change study programs to pursue their talents and interests, but universities are expected to provide opportunities to take courses according to their talents by increasing elective courses.

“Give students the freedom to study. Learn from anyone, learn from practitioners, learn from industry because most of them will later become practitioners. That is the essence of Merdeka Learning, where students are free to learn. And campuses also gain the freedom to innovate,” said the President.

In addition to attending a meeting with the Council of Chancellors of Indonesian State Universities, President Jokowi also took the time to directly observe the Face-to-Face Lectures that took place at the Faculty of Medicine.

After a meeting with the Council of Chancellors for Indonesian State Universities, President Jokowi headed to the Adi Soemarmo Air Base Ops to immediately go to Jakarta by presidential plane.

Also present to accompany the President in the meeting, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy, the Rector of Universitas Sebelas Maret as Chair of the Council of Rector of Indonesian State Universities, Prof. Dr. Jamal Wiwoho, SH, M. Hum and Central Java Governor, Ganjar Pranowo.

 

Public Relation of FK UNS: Muh. Abu Dawud
Translator: Wartini