Merdeka Campus
Last January 2020, Minister of Education and Culture Nadiem Makarim issued a policy on "Merdeka Campus". The independent campus consists of the overhaul in the world of lectures, where for the campus, allowed to get new study programs supported by the campus accredited A or B. Then for students, the number of SKS needed to be taken by students will appear. Students are only required to study 5 semesters out of a total of 8 semesters, then the campus must provide the right for students to take SKS outside of college as much as 2 semesters. Whether it's an internship, community service, exchange students, also become a teacher in the transfer areas. Students also receive SKS in different study programs but still in the same campus for 1 semester, but this trait is not mandatory.
Even so I personally do not fully agree with the policies made, there are positive and negative. I agree with the policy made by Mr. Nadiem, seen from the background and agreed to implement this policy to provide work experience to students. Especially for students who want to major wrongly and want to develop themselves, this choice can be taken. But Pak Nadiem himself did not oblige him, he only offered that if it was taken, it could not be taken.
However, I also do not agree with the policy because the S1 study program has approved a curriculum that matches the expected results are professionals who are directed to the mastery and development of branches of science and engineering. And this also distinguishes undergraduate programs from diplomas. The diploma graduates are expected to be able to develop their skills and reasoning in the application of science and technology.
You could say outline, scholars excel in terms of theory, but discipline, not necessarily diploma is superior, but scholars are certainly more stable in terms of science and theory.
About the discussion about the S1 study program, about the campus that has compiled the curriculum of a discipline into 144 SKS which will be collected in 8 semesters. In lectures also students are given the stages in learning. Semesters 1 and 2 are still in the training stage to be able to meet the needs of students who are sufficient for the materials in each product. Semester 3 and 4 material begins to enter the direction of the chosen study program. Semesters 5 and 6 we have been given advanced material in this discipline until the end, semesters 7 and 8 that prepare us to enter the workforce, prepare us to become scholars.
The problem is, are the 5th semester students able to be given such rights? I mean, what can be done by studying for 5 semesters in the chosen study program, accepted every student is free to make his choice, can even take the path that no one opposes the selected study program and when graduating with the bachelor's degree, even though the new student is studying 5 semester.
Chairman of the Student Executive Board (BEM) IKIP PGRI Pontianak, the campus responsibility program for the Merdeka Campus which was moved by the Ministry of Education and Culture. He said the number of universities in Indonesia at this time was very much. In 2017 Dikti's research data shows that there are 4,504 units allocated and supported by more than 3000 private campus. "Surely this has become a major challenge in carrying out this program. More than 3000 of these campuses, "he said
He also said that in supporting the whole program it needed adequate human resources and facilities to support it to succeed. "Because most private campuses are not ready for all these challenges in terms of HR and facilities. Because it is true that the assistance from the center for private campus operations is not less than 35 percent, "he explained.
For example, it was agreed that one of the programs would be implemented at the IKIP-PGRI Pontianak. "Students get 40 SKS courses outside of study programs. This will definitely discuss increasing the number of teaching hours for lecturers, "he added. While on campus there is still often a shortage of teaching staff to teach in class. Not to mention the dual functional and structural positions that still apply in private campuses that are managed irregularly.
When viewed from the perspective of students, given choices like this that are not a problem for them. For scholars who want to pursue their fields as an example they want to become lecturers, it is not a problem for them. But for students who already have tired college, lazy, and feel the wrong majors are certainly benefited. Because students think with these policies m