Two students of UGM, Irma Novikawati (Biology, class of 2011) and Ricco Survival Yubaidi (Civil Engineering and Environment, class of 2011) have followed the ASEAN Youth Exchange Program from 14-24 March 2013 at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. They shared experiences along with other students from Universitas Airlangga, UI and UPN and nine ASEAN member countries, including Malaysia, the Phillipines, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Vietnam. Irma and Ricco followed the forum after their essay on youth role and motivation for ASEAN had passed selections.
“From Indonesia as many as 19 students were participating in the event,” Irma said on Tuesday (9/4).
Irma said for ten days in Thailand, they learned and shared plenty of experiences in ASEAN role at present. They also visited some venues in Thailand, such as the United Nations, ESCAP, Ayuthya, Grand Palace and Bank of Thailand.
Through the ASEAN Youth Exchange Program, Irma said she was able to see developments in ASEAN as well as ASEAN as a community.
“Apart from giving contributions to the future of ASEAN, we also learned arts and culture from other ASEAN countries,” said the student from Tulungagung.
In the forum Irma and other Indonesian students presented the Remo and Saman dances and traditional games. Irma saw the significant role of ASEAN for cooperation of member countries. For the young generation, many benefits and facilities can be enjoyed, such as visa exemption and scholarships.
“Despite some frictions among Indonesia and other ASEAN countries, that did not disrupt forum activities as we had an understanding that this matter was handled at the government level,” Irma said.
Winning Bidik Misi Scientific Paper Writing Contest
Other students from Faculty of Biology, Nur Lailatun Ni’mah, Tri Sulistyo and Lailatul Isnaini (Class of 2012), became third winners in the Bidik Misi Scientific Paper Writing Contest , 29 March 2013, at Universitas Andalas, Padang.
Tito, nickname of Tri Sulistyo, said the contest raised the theme “GEMPAR Bidik Misi” (Media Education for Street Children as Effort to Cut off Poverty Chain. Hundreds of papers were selected into ten papers. He described that their paper talks about student role in cutting off poverty chain through the Bidik Misi scholarsip.
“Recipients of Bidik Misi scholarship have the potential to play a role in cutting off poverty chain in Indonesia,” said the student from Sragen.
What Tio meant was the street children who have no access to education. Tio said “GEMPAR Bidik Misi” is an initiative street education programme that is run by recipients and alumni of Bidik Misi scholarship, to help the government realise its programme in poverty alleviation by providing education home to learn as well as home as Education Media for Street Children to generate smart and independent generation.
“This has the chance to involve many students who received the Bidik Misi scholarship and alumni who have diverse expertises,” he explained.
According to Isnaini, what differs “GEMPAR Bidik Misi” from other education mission is that school children will learn lessons from 07.00 – 12.00 hours, followed by entrepreneurship program to build their creativity and imagination. They are asked to choose their own area to be developed. Their marketable works will be distributed with profits going to the accounts of “GEMPAR Bidik Misi”, and some to their parents who need it, so both may enjoy the benefits.