Continuing the community service activities conducted online on Wednesday, September 1, 2021, the Mathematics Study Program of UNAIR once again collaborated with schools in Tuban to participate in an offline activity on Wednesday, October 6, 2021. The event took place at SMA Negeri 1 Rengel and was attended by 50 twelfth-grade students from three high schools (Rengel, Plumpang, and Grabagan), selected from 243 participants based on the questionnaire results from the first stage. This session presented the questionnaire results, reflecting the students’ readiness to face the challenges of pursuing higher education.
In addition, the students were given information on the utilization of the Indonesia Smart Card (KIP), opportunities to participate in the Bidikmisi program, and other funding sources to help finance their higher education. The material presented by Dr. Eridani, M.Si., was crucial and piqued the students’ interest, as evidenced by the numerous questions asked. Many students were unaware of the Bidikmisi admissions pathway, now more commonly known as the KIP pathway. The KIP pathway can be utilized for all university entrance routes (SNMPTN, SBMPTN, SNMPN, SBMPN, and Mandiri). To use KIP Kuliah, students must first register through the KIP Kuliah website at kip-kuliah.kemdikbud.go.id. Registration can also be done via the KIP Kuliah Mobile App available on the Android Play Store.
The final part of this second stage activity was an introduction to UNAIR, titled “A Glimpse of Universitas Airlangga.” This material, presented by a Mathematics Study Program student, was the most favored by the students due to its highly interactive delivery. The students’ enthusiasm was evident from the numerous questions about UNAIR, covering study programs, facilities, student activities, and the cost of living.
This community service activity is closely related to several SDG issues:
- SDG 1: No Poverty – One way to improve the living standards of the community is through education.
- SDG 4: Quality Education – Every Indonesian citizen has the right to quality education, as mandated by Article 31 of the 1945 Constitution.
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – Equal access to education for all citizens will reduce disparities in various aspects, such as welfare and equality of thought.
The first and second stages of the community service activities have been successfully completed without any issues. However, the responsibility to encourage students to pursue higher education is not yet over. The community service team will provide assistance to students registering at UNAIR using KIP Kuliah by optimizing the role of BK (guidance counseling) teachers in each school. This support will continue until the students submit their registration documents to UNAIR. Therefore, this series of community service activities will continue into 2022, in conjunction with the Bidikmisi program registration process. Hopefully, this initiative will further open access to higher education for all layers of society. Bravo Indonesia Jaya!
