The Role of Pusat Kegiatan Belajar Masyarakat (PKBM) in Community Education

Pusat Kegiatan Belajar Masyarakat (PKBM) which was established by, from, and for the community has a very important role in the world of education. The existence of PKBM is a place for people who have dropped out of school to return to continue their education because PKBM does not know the age limit for learning. PKBM is central in the implementation of learning for Equality Education. Which in PKBM includes the Package A Equivalent SD program, Package B Equivalent to Junior High School, and Package C Equivalent to SMA. The goal is to give back the opportunity to study for people who have dropped out of school so that they can improve their knowledge and skills so that they have abilities equivalent to SD/SMP/SMA which can be used to pursue higher education.

Education is the most important thing in our lives. Every society needs education in its life. Education is the most important factor in empowering the community, education can open a person's mind to know and understand science, build creative thinking, and improve the welfare of his life. However, there is a barrier for people to get an education, namely poverty. 

Not infrequently we know that poverty or economic factors cause many people, both children, who drop out of school and cannot continue their education. So in the context of this problem, non-formal education is a solution so that people in the lower classes must continue to continue their education. Non-formal education is a distributor that is able to produce equality of formal education. The number of people among children who have dropped out of school is increasing. Economic limitations are one of the factors that cause dropouts. The scope of non-formal education is very broad. One form of community participation in education is the Pusat Kegiatan Belajar Masyarakat (PKBM).

Pusat Kegiatan Belajar Masyarakat (PKBM)  has become a forum for the community to resume their education. PKBM is a non-formal education unit organized to meet the various learning needs of the community that was established and managed by the community in the context of empowering local communities in accordance with their economic, social and cultural potential. PKBM is still under the supervision and guidance of the National Education Office. The programs held in PKBM can be very diverse, but must be in accordance with the conditions, potential and needs of the community. 

The programs contained in the PKBM include the Package A Program equivalent to Elementary School, Package B Program equivalent to Junior High School, Package C Program equivalent to Senior High School equipped with Functional Literacy and Community Reading Gardens. Learning in PKBM cannot be equated with the learning system in formal schools. In PKBM, the learning system tends to be flexible in accordance with the agreement between the PKBM organizer and the learning community.

The existence of Pusat Kegiatan Belajar Masyarakat (PKBM) provides an opportunity for the community, children, adults, and parents to resume their education which was interrupted due to several reasons such as financial constraints, there are also adults who are already working but have not completed their education, and various other backgrounds. Because of that PKBM does not limit the age for learning with the aim of tackling the problems of poverty, ignorance, and backwardness problems. 

The existence of PKBM certainly has a big role in solving social problems with various programs implemented by PKBM. In addition to playing a role in providing opportunities for people who have dropped out of school to learn, PKBM can also play a role in bridging the needs of the community in order to get equal education and get a recognized diploma. A diploma can later be used to continue to a higher level of education or to apply for jobs in the formal sector. People who return to continuing their education at PKBM, not only get knowledge in general but are also educated so that they can have skills.

Nowadays, technological developments are increasingly advanced, people really need education in order to know and understand developments in today's era. The existence of PKBM really helps the community to return to study. The community does not need to worry about the cost issue, because PKBM also gets Government Operational Assistance (BOP) to be able to help smooth the running of various activities in PKBM. There is no longer any reason especially for children not to go to school or not to continue their education. 

And there is also no reason for parents not to prioritize education for their children because of economic problems because PKBM is the solution for this. Learners don't have to worry about the diploma they will get after graduating from PKBM. Because this diploma is recognized nationally so it can be used to continue education in formal schools and can be used to go to college and to apply for jobs. Therefore, whatever the problem, education must still be prioritized, there is no difference between formal and non-formal education, they will still get equality. The most important thing is the intention and willingness to study so that society will develop and become more advanced.