The emergence of this Covid-19 pandemic has impacted various sectors of life, one of which is education. In the middle of the pandemic situation, the government appealed for an online learning activities system to minimize the new coronavirus transmission. Meanwhile, a small number of areas in the green zone have commenced conducting in-person meetings or offline learning.
Certainly, online learning raised several problems for students. Many students had difficulties when they carried out online learning amid a pandemic. This condition encouraged UGM to send as many as 75 students in SCS Education Care in 16 locations. This program aims to help elementary to high school students who had obstacles in online learning. For instance, the lack of internet access, limited quota/credit, lack of equipment, and parents mentoring difficulties. A combination of offline and online carries out the implementation of UGM SCS-CEL.
Luthfi Indrayani, one of the students in UGM SCS-CEL 2020 of Education Care, revealed that she and her friends carried out thematic SCS caring for education from 1 August to 10 October 2020. For about 50 days, they facilitated learning assistance for elementary, junior high, and high school students online at Kulon Progo. Then, offline learning assistance in Sewon, Kasihan, and Piyungan.
“There are three methods of our learning associate programs. They are general, private, and special skills,” she said in an online SCS of Education Care on Monday (12/10).
She further explained that learning assistance is commonly carried out for students who prefer learning methods collectively. Then private mentoring is applied to help students according to personal constraints when they are carried out studying online. For example, students have a history of congenital diseases and hyperactivity, only focus on specific areas to have difficulty understanding academic learning. Besides, their parents are also not guided because their parents are illiterate and have low education, work, or temperament.
“Private assistance is also intended for students who do not have gadgets,” added the student of the UGM Faculty of Agriculture.
On the other hand, she also implemented the substance skill of learning to improve student abilities. She gave examples such as the Al Quran memorization program (tahfidz) and design training.
Throughout this UGM Education Care of SCS-CEL activity, she explained that they also encourage digital capacities and skills for students, teachers, and student guardians.
One of the UGM-SCS Field Supervisors who are concerned for education is Dr. drg. Rurie Ratna Shantiningsih, MDSc. She expressed her pride for the students who had completed the Community Service Program for Education Care. Many stories have appended the Community Service Program for Education Care implementation amid the Covid-19 pandemic. There are a few obstacles in implementing UGM SCS-CEL. Still, students’ enthusiasm and creativity can also help the embodiment of these programs with several adjustments.
“For instance, during UGM SCS-CEL, there was an instruction from the government not to operate face-to-face learning because of the increase in Covid-19 transmission number. Finally, the students are looking for strategies to continue the learning process, including home visits and distance learning,” she explained.
She said that even though they do not have a background in a teaching profession, students can help students who are experiencing learning difficulties during the Covid-19 outbreak.
“The UGM SCS-CEL program has been very advantageous, both from the school, hamlet, and parents saying that UGM SCS-CEL is here at the right time. They asked to extend this program implementation in the future,” said the lecturer at FKG UGM.
The Directorate of Community Service Directorate, Prof. Irfan Dwidya Prijambada, M.Eng., Ph. D, also appreciated this team’s initiative. He thanked the students and field supervisors’ UGM SCS-CEL of Education Care for their hard work because they were still eager to implement this program during a pandemic. He also hoped that it later could assist students in dealing with learning difficulties.
“From this UGM SCS-CEL, hopefully, we can make students as candidates for national leaders who know the nation’s problems and provide solutions. I hope all these supports are valuable. Besides, I hope all students can immediately complete their studies. Hence, you can soon get entangled in the community to help those who are struggling during a pandemic,” he said.
Author: Ika
Translator: Natasa A