Proxy attendance is a phenomenon that persists in education, especially among students. It is a form of academic dishonesty that can cultivate corrupt practices, threatening the nation’s future.
Concerned about this issue, a group of UGM students researched the proxy attendance phenomenon among their peers.
The team consists of Yuda (Philosophy), Della Ayu Banon (Philosophy), Pertiwi (Philosophy), and Annisa Dini Kamila (History).
They conducted their research under the guidance of Rudy Wiratama, a Javanese Literature lecturer at the UGM Faculty of Cultural Sciences, as part of the 2023 Student Creativity Program in Social Sciences and Humanities Research.
Annisa Kamila noted that students often normalize the practice of proxy attendance. However, this behavior has significant consequences and can erode students’ moral character.
“When we refer to the historical dynamics of our nation, the role of students is crucial. Students are the young generation and the future of our nation,” said Kamila.
“Young people have been driving historical events, such as pushing for the proclamation of independence. Even during the reform era, students played a role as a form of social control.”
“However, we can see a decline in moral standards among students today, and some negative behaviors, like proxy attendance, have become normalized.”
In their research, the students attempted to analyze it from the perspective of Ronggowarsito’s teachings and advice, which gave rise to Javanese ethics based on Serat Kalatidha.
They hoped that exploring the axiological values rooted in Javanese wisdom could provide insight into how people should critically assess negative phenomena normalized by their surroundings.
Yuda explained that Serat Kalatidha is a profound and philosophical literary work by Ronggowarsito that hints at the free spirit of individuals who are not influenced by their surroundings.
This work teaches how to confront and deal with evolving situations, allowing individuals not to get lost in the whirlwind of life. It guides how to act and respond to emerging challenges.
“Of course, this is highly relevant as a way of life, embodying teachings to resist the banality that occurs in the proxy attendance phenomenon,” he explained.
Author: The Proxy Attendance Research Team
Editor: Ika