Education is an important need that must be felt by everyone. Everyone must get an education bench because education is a spear for the success of a nation. In the world, of course, there have been many efforts from the government to continue to improve the quality of education. In Indonesia, the government and the minister of education continue to try to come up with new policies to improve the quality and the best quality for Indonesian education. Not long ago, the minister of education and culture of Indonesia (KEMENDIKBUD) issued several policies for its new program, namely the independent campus. In some of these policies, there is one policy that is very interesting among students. The policy is the right to study 3 semesters outside the study program.
Reporting from Nadiem Makarim's speech at the independent campus program, the minister of education who was recently appointed by the president of the Republic of Indonesia stated that students should not only learn to swim in swimming pools but must also have the experience of learning to swim in the high seas with various wave threats and inconsistent weather flows. This statement is true because to face the rigors of real life, a variety of experiences and adaptability are needed. Students should also study outside their area of expertise (study program) so that they have new experiences and other abilities that can help and facilitate them to face the real world. For example, we have often seen phenomenal like this, namely the lack of opportunities in employment. Let's say you are an expert in banking and you have studied 3 semesters outside study programs in English, but when you apply for a job in a banking sector and you are rejected because the field of work is full, this is where the benefits of your learning experience in the field of language English to open a job opportunity. Or we can see that in fact, many undergraduate students have a career in a place that is very different from the department they are taking.
For students themselves, this policy is freedom for students to develop their interests in other study programs. Many students are forced to enter and study a major that is not in their interest because they pass the chosen study program and also the study program's insufficient capacity when they take the test. It could be that they are in the study program that is not serious about learning there. So this policy can be a stepping stone or an opportunity for them to learn. Besides, the purpose of this policy is that students not only learn on campus but also so that students begin to get to know and enter the workforce since college. The introduction of the world of work like this will bring awareness to students about how and what the actual employment conditions are like.
So, this policy is a step forward for tertiary education in Indonesia. This policy can bring benefits for students in exploring other study programs to add experience and abilities. Also, this policy can finalize the readiness of students to achieve an advanced future. Creating a smart and quality generation is the main goal of Indonesian education. With a generation that has advanced thinking, Indonesia can make education in universities better and able to compete in the world of education.
