Economic Arguments Are Not Barriers To Entrance To Universities: The High Education Gap

JAKARTA - The argument that mentions the economy is not a reason to enter a bona fide college is viral on Twitter social media. The controversial thread has re-ignited the debate about inequality in the world of education. About answering the question: is it true that everyone can get the same right to education regardless of economic background?

Not long ago, the owner of the Twitter account @aliralira told that a man named Anggun became the first Indonesian to graduate from Minerva School, United States. What made it viral, he put the tag "economic reasons are NOT an obstacle to achieving your dream of studying abroad." Suddenly the tweet gained four thousand retweets, and more than 17 thousand likes.

The owner of the @aliralira account said that he first found out about Anggun from an online fundraising site. He was so moved by Anggun's struggle to achieve his dream.

"Entering Minerva is already difficult, the tickets are in hand, but the money is not there. Even though it's 'only' to leave. 2017, it's not easy to convince the Minerva people what it is," he wrote.

One of the highlights was the chapter about Anggun leaving the University of Indonesia to study in Abang Sam's country. "It's even more difficult to make people understand: why did Anggun have to go to Minerva when she was already a sophomore student at UI? UI was good at HI, why did she leave it for 'univ of whatever'?"

Economic reasons are NOT an obstacle to achieving your dream of studying abroad. Read the story of Anggun, the first Minerva School graduate from Indonesia. Anggun was able to go to Minerva because of donations, scholarships and of course her hard work. PS: Entering Minerva is more difficult than Harvard. https://t.co/ZF8FKwaacj pic.twitter.com/gsHMmk4fOa

— ALIRA (@aliralira) June 11, 2021

Twit @aliralira is the pros and cons of Twitter citizens. The owner of the @bulanlayu account, for example, asked if the economy was not a barrier, then why did he use donations. "If the economy is not a barrier, why don't you use donations?" he wrote.

In addition, the owner of the @earthrins account has the opposite view. He said economic reasons still prevent someone from accessing a bona fide higher education, but Anggun can overcome it by looking for donors. It's just that he regretted "throw away" the bench at UI.

"But he is disappointed that he has been accepted at UI, why is he forced to study abroad using donors. That's a PTN slot that people bend over backwards so they can get wasted," he wrote.

Even so, not a few are pro on @aliralira's argument. The owner of the @dah_ahhhhh account, for example, admitted that he was saddened by the response of netizens who called the thread a romanticization.

In fact, according to him, what should be underlined is the matter of his business. "See how he struggles from the crush of the economy."

Reading the tweets in response to this thread is sad. There are so many pessimistic people in Indonesia. The motivational thread is called romanticization.

— eda Putra (@dah_ahhhhh) June 12, 2021

Regardless of the pros and cons, Anggun's struggle to get the campus she wants can be used as an example. According to her story in Kitabisa, this Blitar native said it all started with the book The 7 Habits for Highly Effective Teen by the famous Stephen Covey.

That's when the belief that a person is not defined by background or situation begins to grow. "It made me persistent and proactive by looking for a side job, and taking an active role in my education."

His efforts began to show results when he received assistance from the Sampoerna Academy educational institution. He attended high school there.

Then thanks to his brilliant achievement, Anggun got the opportunity to take part in a student exchange program to the United States. After returning from the program with the theme of environment and leadership, Anggun made a social project.

This experience became the starting point for Anggun to realize his dream to study abroad. Even though he has studied at the University of Indonesia for two years, he has passed the selection at Minerva School.

This Anggun story can be considered rare. The proof is in plain sight: Anggun is the only Indonesian who graduated from Minerva School.

Anggun is a minority in the midst of the majority of the lower class who find it difficult to get access to be able to study in college. Let alone entering a bona fide university, being able to attend college, wherever they want to be, they may already be grateful.

At least that's what the National Coordinator of the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI), Ubaid Matraji told VOI. "If any lower class can enter PT, that's a small case, not describing the majority."

Ubaid's view contradicts the argument that economics does not prevent people from entering university. "In my view, the economy is the main inhibiting factor. Many children do not go to PT because the costs are expensive," he said.

This certainly illustrates the gap in the education gap in Indonesia which, according to Ubaid, is quite steep. And this happened according to Ubaid because the government was irresponsible.

"It is very steep, because the government is irresponsible. The proof is that PPDB (New Student Admission) is always chaotic. Because the number of seats available is not proportional to the number of registrants," he concluded.

*Read other information about EDUCATION or read other interesting articles from Ramdan Febrian.