Limited economic condition did not diminish Febriyanti Siahaan’s dream of studying at university. But her parents had to tell her to postpone her dreams and advised her to find a job instead after she passed high school. Who knows that Febri’s dream finally came true when she learned that she had been accepted at Faculty of Pharmacy UGM without even paying for tuition.
“I’ve always wanted to study at a higher education level, but my parents always said no, telling me that university was just for the haves. So, when I learned that I’d been admitted and didn’t even have to pay for tuitions, instantly I hugged my parents. I told them I could study at university for free,” said Febri when met at her home in Batu Aji, Batam City, on Monday (5/6).
Since high school she had wanted to study pharmacy because she believed that with this science, she could make beneficial contributions to the society. But each time she told her wishes to her parents, they encouraged her to get straight to work after high school and then think about education when she already had the money. That’s why she intently did not tell her parents that she would apply to get accepted at UGM by invitation mechanism for fear that this would burden them.
“For me, studying at university is a must if we want to develop ourselves. But then may parents said otherwise, so I could not force them. In the end, I brought this in my prayers and, surprisingly, now I would be able to study at the university of my choice,” said the youngest of four siblings.
Both of Febri’s parents have no stable jobs. Her father who was a guard at a housing compound in Batam had eventually to resign due to an illness affecting his leg. Febri’s mother who had once opened a small kiosk in her home finally had to close it down because they had no money to provide the goods. For their daily needs, they have to rely on the support from Febri’s siblings who have a job.
Rentejer Panjaitan, the mother of Febri, could barely hold back her tears when she spoke about Febri’s wish to study, which made her proud. Despite her encouraging her daughter not to, she always prayed that Febri would one day make her dream come true.
“Parents always want the best for their children and send them to university, so that they would have a better future. But with this condition, I told Febri we had no money, how to pay for the lectures. You’d better get a job first. Each time I told her this, Febri would just keep quiet. So, finally when she told me she was accepted at UGM, we hugged each other. I had not expected it, not knowing she had applied. Thank God that Febri would receive the Bidikmisi scholarship from government,” said the woman of Batak ethnic group.
Now, prior to Febri’s departure to UGM, the mother asked her to make the most of her invaluable opportunity to prepare for her future and be someone benefitting the society.
“Not everyone can get this opportunity. It’s all because of God. So, I want her to study hard and make the most of her time for her success in the future,” said Rentejer.